‘Every child deserves a great school library with access to quality books, digital resources and the expert support of a dedicated librarian or library staff‘ (Michael Rosen).
LIPSSEE aims to raise awareness of the value and impact of a well run, well resourced library for all current and potential stakeholders (including parents, governors, teachers and students) in Prep Schools aross the country. We launched our capaign in 2015, in response to the news that two of our long standing members had been made redundant due to job cuts at their respective schools. To date the group has produced the following documents in support of the campaign:
- Reed, Denise (2016). Why School Libraries Matter. Attain. 10 (30), p26-27. Attain is a leading magazine for the Independent sector and the official magazine of IAPS (The Independent Association of Prep Schools). The magazine is published termly and distributed to the 650+ IAPS member schools across the UK and overseas. Its strong parent readership was the main focus of this article. A copy can be obtained from the LIPSSEE co-ordinator.
- Reed, Denise (2016). Guidelines for Prep School Libraries. Leamington Spa: The Independent Association of Prep Schools. These were compiled at the request of the Director of Education at IAPS, following lengthy discussions with him about the alarming variance in the standards of Prep School library provision across the country. The Guidelines were ratified by IAPS, and in November 2016 were circulated to the Heads of all +650 member schools. They are important because they continue to offer a standardised, recommended level of provision for all Prep School libraries, and openly acknowledge that the most important factor leading to improvements in school libraries is the commitment and leadership of knowledgeable head teachers and senior managers. In 2023 The Guidelines were updated and the revised edition is available from the LIPSSEE co-ordinator, or can be downloaded from the Libraries Advisor’s page in the ‘members only’ section of the IAPS website.
- Reed, Denise (2017). Prep School Librarians: the Unsung Heroes. School Libraries in View (SLiV). Issue 42. In October 2016, LIPSSEE’s campaigning efforts came to the attention of the editor of SLiV, the official magazine of CILIP’s Schools Library Group (SLG). The outcome was that the LIPSSEE co-ordinator was asked if she would like to write an article about Prep School libraries for the January 2017 edition. This was duly done and a copy can be obtained again from the LIPSSEE co-ordinator, or if you are a member of CILIP you can view the article on the SLG’s website.
- Smith, Susan (2018). No Librarian Is An Island: Making Good Connections. The SLA School Librarian.Vol. 66, No 3, Autumn 2018. In this article Susan stresses the importance of joining a social support network group such as LIPSSEE, because librarians who are ‘connected’ are more empowered to promote the role of the school library in encouraging young people to pursue a lifetime of reading, discovery and learning.
Events of 2023
In 2023, following ongoing discussions with the Director of Education at IAPS, about the disparities in the quality of library provision that still continue to exist in our Prep Schools, it was agreed that not only should the Prep School Library Guidelines from 2016 be updated and re-circulated to all member schools, but that there should be also a dedicated page on the IAPS website for libraries, just as there is for all the other academic subjects. Denise, as LIPSSEE’s co-ordinator, was also asked if she would act as IAPS’s nominated Libraries Advisor, with one of her responsibilities being the creation and continuous updating of the new library web page, ‘to ensure its relevance for members’. This also offered an opportunity to promote LIPSSEE’S work. It was also agreed that IAPS would start hosting regular annual library training events to upskill their members, starting the academic year 2023/24.
Great School Libraries Campaign. In September 2019, LIPSSEE joined other library organisations and groups throughout the country in pledging its support to the Great School Libraries campaign. Launched by the combined forces of CILIP, the SLA and CILIP (SLG) it aims not only to bring school libraries and librarians back to every school in the UK, but also to gather data on the quality and quantity of school libraries that already exist. After all a quality school library is every child’s right!
LIPSSEE 