Ascel

Latest News and Press Releases

9/1/12

Government Inquiry into Public Library Closures

ASCEL has submitted a reponse to the Government Inquiry into public library closures. You can read it here

13/12/11

Closure of Hertfordshire School Library Service

That Hertfordshire County Council is considering a proposal to close its Schools Library Service by March 2012 is devastating news for all those concerned with the provision of quality resources in schools.

Hertfordshire SLS has long been a leader in the field of library services to schools and has trail-blazed innovative and extraordinary services.

A schools library service does not only support the school library and library staff, important though this aspect of their work is. The knowledge and expertise of the schools library service staff and the range of resources offered for both purchase and lending supports every teacher in every classroom and helps them deliver a creative and exciting curriculum, as well as encourage children to read for pleasure.

Reading for pleasure is high on the Department for Education (DfE) agenda, and the advice and in-depth knowledge of children’s literature offered by schools library services supports busy teachers who need to find the right exciting book for each child in their class.

This proposal is based on the simple fact that as a traded service, a schools library service needs schools to choose and use the service. When schools do not subscribe to the service – for whatever reason – it is not viable and so has to close.

It is obvious that schools budgets are now so stretched that teachers are being asked to teach without access to good quality, up-to-date resources and manage as best they can. Added to this is the loss of the expertise and experience of schools library service staff and their ability to work with schools to offer curriculum support and advice, support for reading and literacy and support for research and information literacy skills.

Once a schools library service closes, it is impossible to open again in better financial times - the resources and the expertise are lost forever.

Baroness Estelle Morris wrote in her report “Schools Libraries: A plan for improvement” (2010):

School Library Services could be a highly efficient way of ensuring that clusters of schools maximise their value for money by having access to the resources, information and expertise they need to develop children’s reading and literacy, and offering access to knowledge they may not have on site or may not be able to afford in the future.

ASCEL is working with the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) and the School Library Association (SLA) to “Shout about School Libraries and Schools Library Services”, their cost-effectiveness and their huge role in ensuring schools provide their teachers with quality resources and sound support and advice. Never has it been more urgent to shout. Unless schools use their service, they will lose it.

18/10/11

Time to SHOUT ABOUT School Libraries

ASCEL has joined forces with CILIP and SLA to promote and support school libraries and school library services. Gillian Harris, Chair of ASCEL said, “Teachers need a wide range of stimulating, up-to-date and relevant learning resources to deliver an exciting and vibrant curriculum. I want to SHOUT ABOUT Schools Library Services because they are an amazing cost-effective way for schools to make sure children of all abilities have the best quality materials in the classroom to inspire their learning. Add to this the professional support, advice and books Schools Library Services can provide to those wanting to build a reading culture and an excellent library, then they should be at the top of every school’s list to buy in.“ Read the full CILIP press release here: http://www.cilip.org.uk/news-media/pages/news111018.aspx

10/10/11

DEMOS Report - Truth, Lies and the Internet

ASCEL wrote to the the national press welcoming the recent report from Demos "Truth, lies and the internet: A report into young people's digital fluency". Read the letter here. SLN have also written to the press. Read their letter here.

1/7/11

Evening Standard 'Get London Reading Campaign'

ASCEL wrote to the Evening Standard in support of their literacy campaign and to emphasise the importance of the role of professionally trained library staff. Read the letter here.

1/6/11

Criteria for "teaching schools"

ASCEL wrote to Steve Munby, Chief Executive of National College for Leadership of Schools and Children's Services to comment on the criteria for teaching schools. Read the ASCEL letter here and the response received here.

3/5/11

Cultural education review

This is ASCEL's submission to the recent call for evidence for the government review of cultural education by Darren Henley. There is huge potential for libraries to contribute to cultural education. The consultation closed on 20th May 2011.

14/4/11

National Curriculum Consultation

This is ASCEL's submission to the Review of the National Curriculum in England.

18/1/11

Bookstart Funding

SCL and ASCEL wrote a joint letter to Michael Gove in support of continued universal funding for Bookstart. Click here to read the letter.