School Libraries and Elementary Education: A Comparative Study of Selected Local and Foreign Private School Libraries

Balbin, Louise Z (2004). School Libraries and Elementary Education: A Comparative Study of Selected Local and Foreign Private School Libraries. Unpublished Master’s Thesis. University of the Philippines, Diliman, Q.C.

The Problem and Its Rationale

School libraries are and will always be essential in the education of the young and children must be made to realize this. With the aim of competently supporting the goals of the educational institutions they belong to, school libraries must continuously improve and evolve. How can they better serve students in this technologically-advanced age? What programs and services need to be done or improved for students to realize what wealth these school libraries offer. School libraries all over the world have geared towards computerization. Yet this is only one step towards attaining more efficiency in library operations.

Methodology

This study compares local and foreign private school libraries in the Philippines based on their organization, programs, and services to find out their similarities and differences and how they can learn from each other to improve services. There were three local and three foreign private school libraries in the study. Eleven librarians and a library clerk from the six school libraries were interviewed. In each school, forty percent of the total elementary faculty population who responded to the questionnaire give suggestions on how to improve their own school libraries.

Findings

School policies, practices, and economic factors play vital roles in differences found between these school libraries, although there are some common activities done by local and foreign private school libraries to promote their services and increase use in children.