Welcome to the Internet School
Library Media Center (ISLMC) School Library History page. This page
provides information on important dates and documents in the history of
libraries as
they relate to the development of school libraries. The ISLMC is a
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The development of school libraries can be traced to the
beginning of the public library movement in the last half of the
nineteenth century in the United States. Public libraries served the
needs of public schools which were sometimes built in close proximity
to a public library. Public library staff frequently placed
temporary book collections in the schools for educators' use. Bookmobiles
visited, and still do, public schools in rural areas.
Increasingly educators were becoming aware of the importance
of libraries. During the early part of the twentieth century, secondary
schools continued to receive services from public libraries. Elementary
schools had classroom collections which became the core collection when
school libraries were formed. School libraries, primarily at the
secondary level, were developing.
In 1906 Virginia's first school library opened its
doors.
In 1914 the American Library Association created the School
Library
section
In 1920 the first standards were published, Standard
Library Organization and Equipment for Secondary Schools of Different
Sizes Report of the Committee on Library Organization and Equipment of
the National Education Association and of the North Central Association of
Colleges and Secondary Schools; C. C. Certain, chairman. Chicago: ALA,
1920.
In 1924 the long publishing history
of The Horn
Book from Horn Book, Inc. began.
In 1928 Hannah
Logasa, considered the pioneer of school libraries, published her
book, The High School Library; Its Function in Eduction. New York:
D. Appleton and Company, 1928.
In the 1930's various texts and documents focused attention
on school
libraries, including:
In 1929 William King. The Elementary School
Library. New York: C. Scribner's Sons, 1929. [University of
Virginia Library]
In 1930 Lucile
Fargo. The Library in the School. Chicago: ALA, 1930.
[University of Virginia Library]
In 1930 Lucille Fargo. The Program for Elementary School
Library Service. Chicago: ALA, 1930. [University of Virginia
Library]
In 1945 new standards were published, School Libraries for
Today and Tomorrow;
Functions and Standards. Prepared by the Committees on Post-war
Planning of the American Library Association, Division of libraries for
children and young people and its section; the American Association of
School Librarians; Mrs. Mary Peacock Douglas, Chairman. Chicago: ALA,
1945.
Post-World War II
The period after World
War II was an era of growth in the development of school
libraries, the development of technology and the application of technology in education. 16mm film had been used in the armed forces
during the war. Film and its varying formats (filmstrip,
slide, etc.) were accepted as legitimate forms of instructional
technology. There was heavy emphasis in educational research
on testing film's effectiveness in instruction, as compared to
more traditional approaches.
Library education was traditionally taught by academic library
staff in conjunction with colleges of education.
Nationally, library education began to shift to library
schools which had their own teaching faculty and which were not
administratively part of colleges of education. Library science
frequently became separate schools, outside of colleges of education.
In 1954 a special section, School Library Journal was
added to the professional periodical, Library Journal.
On
October 4, 1957 the Soviet Union launched the first earth satellite, Sputnik,
into orbit. Americans feared tht the Soviets had
passed our nation in the space race. Congress set up the National Defense
Defense Education Act (NDEA)in September of 1958 to train scientists and
engineers and to strengthen science, foreign language and mathematics
instruction in the public schools. Under N. D. E. A. Title III funding was
provided to purchase hardware for the public schools. The National
Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) was also created that year under the Eisenhower administration.
At the national level new rigorous
curricula such as BSCS were developed. Tremendous social pressure was
placed upon the schools to upgrade the quality of instruction in these
areas and to recruit qualified applicants into the sciences and
mathematics.
The 1960's began a period of tremendous growth in school
library programs nationally. New standards, an influx of federal funding
and the Knapp School
Libraries Project were very influential in promoting the development
of school library collections.
1960 saw the publication of Standards for
School Library
Programs. By the American Association of School Librarians,
in
co-operation with the American Association of Colleges for Teacher
Education. Chicago: ALA.
In 1963 school library growth was accelerated through
the Knapp School Libraries
Project (1963-1974). The American Library Association used funds
provided by the Knapp Foundation to set up a three-pronged program
which had great national impact on selling the need for quality media
programs to the public. The Knapp Project set up model media centers
throughout the country; funded the School Library Manpower Project
(1968-1974) which developed library job descriptions; and set up six
model library science education programs at Arizona State, Auburn,
Mankato State, Millersville State, University of Denver and University
of Michigan.
In 1967 a report on the Knapp Project was published: Sullivan,
Peggy. Impact; The School Library and the Instructional Program, a
Report on Phase I of the Knapp School Libraries Project. Chicago: ALA,
1967.
In 1970 the final report of the School Library Manpower
Project was published. School Library Manpower Project. Advisory
Committee. School Library Manpower Project: Phase I--Final Report to
the Knapp Foundation of North Carolina, Inc.. Chicago: ALA, 1970.
Federal funding for school libraries provided sorely needed
funds for purchase of library materials and equipment. In 1965 the Elementary
and Secondary School Act Title I formed part of Lyndon
Johnson's War on Poverty. The Elementary
and Secondary Education Act (ESEA Title II) of 1965 provided funds for
purchase of library materials and textbooks. In 1974 The Elementary and
Secondary Education Act Title IV consolodated funding for public and
private schools into two parts, B and C. Part B combined school resources
and and educational materials; testing, counseling and guidance and
financial assistance for the strengthening of instruction.
Unfortunately, this move diluted support for school libraries in many
instances. Federal funding for school libraries historically
supported purchase of materials and/or hardware. Such funds were not
available for hiring additional personnel. Lack of qualified personnel
was a critical problem in some school library media programs. Under
E.S.E.A. Title IVB, in some cases funds for
libraries were cut as school administrators elected to hire additional
guidance counselors.
In 1960? the Trump Report from the National Association of
Secondary School Principals began a period of change in the design of
educational facilities, organization for instruction and the role of
school libraries in instruction.
Important documents related to the Trump report are:
National Association of Secondary School Principals.
Commission on the Experimental Study of Utilization of Staff in the
Secondary School. New Directions to Quality Education; The Secondary
School Tomorrow. Washington: 1960?
National Association of Secondary School Principals.
Commission on the Experimental Study of the Utilization of Staff in the
Secondary Schools. Focus on Change; Guide to Better Schools.
Chicago: Rand McNally, 1961.
Some elements of the Trump Plan were open classrooms, flexible
scheduling, large/small/individual instruction, mini-courses,
and utilization
of school
library materials for student research.
In 1969 Ruth Ann Davies published her influential work, The
School Library; A Force for Educational Excellence.
In
1972 the Commonwealth of Virginia adopted the first Virginia Standards of
Quality. A direct effect of the standards was the hiring of library
professionals to staff school library programs, particularly smaller
schools.
In 1974 R. R. Bowker Co. published School
Library
Journal as a separate publication from Library
Journal.
In 1979 new national standards were
published, Media Programs District and School. Prepared by the
American Association of School Librarians, ALA, and Association for
Educational Communications and Technology. Chicago: ALA, 1975. (Joint
standards)
In 1979 more than 50 state and territorial conferences were
held in preparation for the White
House Conference which focused upon developing recommendations
for the improvement of libraries. This conference was the largest
White House Conference held up to that date.
In 1981 the American Association of School Librarians began
publication of School Media Quarterly; later title: School
Library Media Quarterly. Chicago: ALA.
In 1983 Libraries Unlimited published The School Library
Media Annual, Littleton, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, Inc., 1983.
In 1986 the White House Conference on Library & Information
Service focused attention on libraries, including school libraries.
In
1988 new guidelines (as opposed to previous standards)
for school library media programs were published, Information Power;
Guidelines for School
Library Media Programs. Prepared by the American Association
of School
Librarians and Association for Educational Communications and
Technology. Chicago: ALA; Washington, DC: AECT, 1988. (Guidelines
replace standards)
In 1991 the White House Conference on Library and
Information Services was held. 96
recommendations and petitions were developed by conference
participants.
