May 15, 2024
Challenges in school libraries
by Abid Hussain
https://pakobserver.net/challenges-in-school-libraries/
COLLINS English Dictionary defines a school library as “a library within a school where
teachers and students can access books and other resources. In other words, a school is an
educational institution where students acquire knowledge, values and skills through structured
instructions and learning experiences from their teachers. The mission of a school library is to
support and enhance the learning level of students, teachers and the community through resources
and services that promote literacy, facilitate learning and foster intellectual growth in the
community living in the schools. School libraries are important in providing students with access
to a wide range of informational resources like books, periodicals, multimedia material and
digital databases in order to explore diverse topics and deepen their understanding of the subject
beyond what is covered in the classroom.
The school library’s motto is to promote students’ literacy skills to make them critical thinkers and
life-long learners in the future. The school library plays a commendable role in the students’ cultural
and intellectual enrichment. It not only supports the school curriculum but also encourages students
for inquiry-based learning. School libraries allow students to explore their topics of interest and
engage them in independent inquiry to grow professionally. Some scholars believe that school
libraries are great sources of inspiration in promoting the students’ digital literacy and intellectual
curiosity. School libraries are said to be vital in promoting a sense of belonging, community and
shared intellectual pursuits. In other words, school libraries are essential to the educational
ecosystem, fostering a culture of inquiry and promoting literacy and life-long learning services.
In countries like the USA, China, Germany and France, school libraries play a crucial role in
personal growth and intellectual development, serving as a cornerstone of students’ lifelong
learning journey, as stated by the American Library Association. In the USA alone, there were
131,848 libraries in 2022, with 82,300 being public school libraries and 22,991 private school
libraries. Private schools are often preferred over public ones in developing nations like Pakistan.
However, both public and private schools in Pakistan face significant challenges. According to the
Pakistan Institute of Education, out of 313,418 total schools, many lack basic facilities like toilets,
drinking water, and playgrounds. Few have small libraries, mostly in urban areas, leaving rural
schools with inadequate infrastructure, where students often resort to reading under trees.
The situation in Sindh and Balochistan’s schools is that they live under God’s mercy. Even though
the position of elite schools like Beacon House, city schools, convent schools, OPF and other
schools serving the defence forces are equipped with rich libraries, playgrounds, drinking water and
rich laboratories, they are still using these services to attract customers and show them that how
literate we are. The position of public schools in Pakistan is worse than that of private schools.
Public schools in Pakistan face numerous problems like budget constraints, large student
populations, government oversight and emphasis on accessible education. Most of the buildings in
urban areas are filled with huge populations and there is no single room to maintain and sustain a
library to meet the intellectual growth of the children. Though official documents state that each
school should have a small library with up to 3000 books, teachers diminish the library building to
the classroom or reserve them for the common room.
Various factors influence the library structure in Pakistani schools: limited resources for school
libraries, lack of qualified staff like trained librarians, infrastructure challenges, language
barriers, and low reading culture among teachers and students. A question, however, arises in
mind: who is responsible for the poor culture of the libraries? Undoubtedly, government
authorities, stakeholders of the schools, educational institutions and, above all, the staff members
lacking qualifications with only BA and FA certificates. What is to be done? There is a dire need
for concerted efforts to highlight these issues in various forums like the National Assembly and
social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, etc. Above all, complaints should be filed against the
school mafias who fool poor people. Investing in school libraries will help improve literacy rates,
enhance educational outcomes, and foster a love of learning. Let’s raise a voice on different
forums and equip the school with rich libraries.
—The writer is Deputy Director Library in a government Think-Tank.
Email: abidmardan@gmail.com