The heart of education is student learning. The librarian’s responsibility is to develop knowledge so that learning becomes more enduring, meaningful, and personally satisfying. Perhaps much of what students learn will wear out or become obsolete. But the information skills learned in libraries will continue to work indefinitely or as long as they are needed (Mangay, 2004).
The school/university library is a vital partner in knowledge management and must share with the school/university its responsibility for systematically designing, carrying out and evaluating the total learning and teaching process (Herring, 1982). In which case, the library assumes the role of mediator between students/students and learning resources, and between teachers/teachers and teaching resources. The library contributes to a meaningful, satisfying and challenging education, if it is directly involved (Mangay, 2004).
The school/university library should be seen as an integral part of the school/university organization and not as an orphanage. Its development cannot be isolated from the development of education because it is part of the educational system. The library is unique because its users are part of their education, acquiring skills in the effective use of information to meet certain learning objectives. The library is not simply a support to the curriculum, but an active part of the curriculum.
In general, education is moving away from traditional classroom teaching of restricted subjects/modules, towards more individual work, group learning, project work, research and an increasing use of resources other than books and textbooks. The disappearance of streaming in the school curriculum plays a fundamental role in the search for methods or sources that respond to the great variety of learning capacities of students.
The traditional ‘chalk and talk’ approach to teacher/teacher centered education has been modified. Teachers/lecturers now spend their time introducing pupils/students to topics and explaining concepts and methods in a lecturer-like situation. Pupils/students are required to learn on their own and, where possible, at their own pace. We continue to see the gradual growth of the use of ‘newer media’ alongside the ‘old print’ medium (Mangay, 2004).
School/university libraries offer a learning environment in which the pupil/student can learn and practice research and research techniques. Its collections express anticipated needs of all teaching units and special interests of the school/faculty, and also pay special attention to the personal cultural and recreational interests of the young people themselves, so that reading and inquiry become natural habits of life.
Libraries are now entering a new stage of development in the information age. New educational developments have strengthened the role and importance of school librarians. They are tasked with fulfilling the natural role of school/university libraries as a center for learning and exploiting all available communication methods. The library is a communication center. His commitment and concern for the promotion of reading and the enrichment of the imaginative and creative life of the individual remains intact (Taylor, 1980).
It is the responsibility of librarians to ensure that patrons develop the ability to find, use, evaluate, and retrieve materials according to the patron’s own needs and purposes. It should provide referral and guidance services when the skills of the clientele are not adequate for the search problem at hand (Grass and Klentz, 1999). Librarians are often seen as providers of resources, rather than collaborative teachers who share common goals. The librarian is an educator, custodian, organizer and disseminator of knowledge. The library, therefore, allows the student to investigate the context beyond the curriculum.
The effective use of the library will enhance the library awareness of young people; transform enthusiastic non-users and learners into lifelong readers and learners. Librarian awareness will also change the minds of students who think that their purpose in the library is just to study notes or charge mobile phones without the ability to do research for homework, writing projects, or other academic assessments. The library enables users to develop lifelong literacies. Helps increase individual student efforts and achievement; it creates a new look at the use of information, and it is a stimulus for the academic community (teachers, staff, students, researchers).
Finally, the library must be recognized and used by other professional colleagues in the learning company (Lance and Loertsher, 2001). It attracts a professional clientele for the resources provided, facilitating richly enhanced and fruitful reading notes for student learning, project writing, term papers, homework, and of course exams. There will be a better focus on taught modules and ‘note taking’. This stimulates the partnership between readers and the librarian. The librarian’s work is of high quality and makes a valuable contribution to the academic community (Grass & Klentz, 1999).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Grass, J. and Klentz, S. (1999). “Developing for authentic learning”. Librarian Professor, 27(1), pp.22-25.
Herring, J.E. (1988). School Library. 2nd ed. London: Clive Bingley.
Lance and Loertscher, D.V. (2001). Driving Achievement: School Library Media Programs Make a Difference: The Evidence. Sam Josa, California: H. William. Research and publication.
Mangay, S. (2004). The need for provision for an effective school library system in Sierra Leone. (unpublished).
Taylor, L.J. (1980). A Librarian’s Handbook: Supplementary documents and documentation, containing new policies, statements, service standards, and evidence memorandums, and a completely revised instructions section. Volume 2. London: Library Association.
