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The publication in 2015 of new international school library guidelines was the culmination of a two-year process involving a wide network of contributors. The process was guided by the Joint Committee of the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) School Libraries Section and the International Association of School Librarianship (IASL). The new guidelines remain grounded in and consistent with principles expressed in the 1999 IFLA/UNESCO School Library Manifesto. The IFLA School Library Guidelines, 2nd edition, interpret in practical terms those foundational principles and reflect current research, practice, and conditions of 21st-century school librarianship.
Value of International School Library Guidelines
What is the purpose or value of international guideline documents? Gwyneth Evans explained the purpose and value of such documents in this way:
We live in an interconnected world and what happens in one place does affect us all. We have standards and values in our profession, and we want to develop statements that reflect those standards. We do not want to duplicate high-level documents when there is so much to do in implementing them and addressing the changes we face. By sharing our knowledge and experience, we are reinforcing our common humanity while understanding our diversity. (2007, 6)
As noted in an earlier publication (Oberg 2015), those involved in creating the IFLA/UNESCO School Library Manifesto and the IFLA School Library Guidelines faced the challenges faced by all who develop standards and guidelines documents, plus the additional challenges of creating documents that would be meaningful to educators working in different roles and in diverse economic and sociocultural environments. All guidelines represent a compromise between what we aspire to achieve and what we can reasonably expect to achieve.
People can and do make use of the manifesto and guidelines in many ways: to inform the development of national and local policies and guidelines; to support strategic and operational plans, especially in schools and in regional educational authorities; and to act as resources in the initial and continuing training of teachers and librarians. However, the manifesto and guidelines have to be used while bearing in mind the local context, the current situation, and the potential for future changes in the situation and in the documents.
Historical Roots of the Manifesto and Guidelines
National and regional school library associations...