School Library Association

Last updated
School Library Association
Founded1937
TypeRegistered charity
Registration no.England & Wales (313660), Scotland (SC039453)
Location
  • 1 Pine Court, Kembrey Park, Swindon SN2 8AD, UK
Area served
Worldwide
Website sla.org.uk

The School Library Association (SLA) is an independent organization in the United Kingdom which promotes libraries and literacy in schools. The SLA was founded in 1937 and is based at Kembrey Park in north-eastern Swindon. It is a charity registered in England & Wales [1] and Scotland. [2]

Contents

It provides training and information to teachers and librarians, promotes the role of librarians in schools and publishes a range of titles including a quarterly journal, The School Librarian. [3]

Regional branches operate in many areas of the UK https://www.sla.org.uk/branches

The Association's President is Richard Gerver. Past Presidents include authors Kevin Crossley-Holland (2012–2017) Gervase Phinn (2006–2009) and Aidan Chambers (2003–2006), and Miranda McKearney, Empathy Lab and Former Director of The Reading Agency. [4]

Two chief executives of the association have been honoured for their services to education: Valerie Ann Fea (MBE) in the New Year Honours 1997 and Kathleen Amy Lemaire (OBE) in the New Year Honours 2008.

Projects

In May 2007 the SLA launched a project in which it acted as facilitator for a Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) initiative called Boys into Books 11–14, delivering 20 free books to all qualifying state schools in England [5] with an accompanying reading guide. [6] Boys into Books 5–11, a follow-up project funded by the DCSF, ran in 2008, also with a published reading guide. [7]

A further DCSF-funded project in 2008, Book Ahead 0–7, was aimed at children in Early Years settings to promote enjoyment in reading at an early stage, with a reading guide written by Julia Eccleshare. [8]

In 2010 the SLA ran the Everyone's Reading campaign [9] in association with the DCSF, described by Children's Laureate Anthony Browne as "... a brilliant project encouraging the enjoyment of reading, a reading culture and a pleasure that will last throughout readers' lives." [10]

School Librarian of the Year Award

The SLA founded the School Librarian of the Year Award in 2004 to highlight best practice and innovation in school librarianship. [11]

Winners

Library Design Award and Inspiration Award

In 2011 the Association inaugurated the SLA Library Design Award to recognise innovation, creativity and resourcefulness in school library design. This was superseded in 2014 by the SLA Inspiration Award for "the school library space that shows inspiration, innovation, creativity and resourcefulness in its library design and in use". [22]

Winners

Community and Enterprise Awards

These two awards were started in 2022 to recognise partnerships and projects benefitting school libraries. Winners due to be announced Autumn 2022. [25]

Information Book Award

In 2011 the Association inaugurated the SLA Information Book Award with shortlists in three categories, "designed to support school libraries, reinforce the importance of non-fiction and highlight the high standard of resources available". [26]

Winners

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References

  1. "School Library Association, registered charity no. 313660". Charity Commission for England and Wales.
  2. "School Library Association, Registered Charity no. SC039453". Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.
  3. ISSN 0036-6595.
  4. "The Reading Agency". The Reading Agency. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
  5. DfES: "Secondary schools get free books to boost reading among teenage boys".
  6. ISBN   978-1-903446-40-9
  7. ISBN   978-1-903446-45-4
  8. ISBN   978-1-903446-43-0
  9. "Everyone's Reading official website". Everyonesreading.org.uk. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
  10. "DCSF News: "Over 53,000 free books for schools in bid to get young people hooked on reading"". Dcsf.gov.uk. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
  11. SLA: School Librarian of the Year Award.
  12. "Teachers TV". Teachers TV. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
  13. "SLA". SLA. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
  14. "SLA". SLA. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
  15. FCBG
  16. The Bookseller: Millett named School Librarian of the Year
  17. The Irish Times: "For second time in three years, an Irish woman wins School Librarian of the Year"
  18. The Bookseller: "Amy McKay wins school librarian of the year award". Accessed 6 October 2016.
  19. TES: "Social-media 'evangelist' named school librarian of the year".
  20. The Bookseller: "Emma Suffield wins School Librarian of the Year Award". Accessed 29 October 2018
  21. The Bookseller: Ros Harding wins School Librarian of the Year Award
  22. Inspiration Award
  23. All Saints CEVA Primary School, Stibbard
  24. designinglibraries.org.uk SLA Inspiration Award - the winners!
  25. "Awards".
  26. "Peters Bookselling Services: SLA Information Book Award". Peters-books.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
  27. The Guardian: Shackleton and New York books win School Library Association non-fiction prize
  28. Federation of Children's Book Groups: SLA Information Book Award 2016 winners
  29. The Bookseller
  30. Peters: Politics for Beginners wins Information Book Award
  31. Federation of Children's Book Groups: Judging the 2020 School Library Association Information Book Award

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