2025 Growing and shaping your school library collection
Notes from the National Library of New Zealand course.
Evidence-based practice Manifesto
Dr Ross Todd, of Rutgers University Center for International Scholarship in School Libraries (CISSL), described 3 dimensions of evidence-based practice in school libraries:
- evidence for practice
- evidence in practice, and
- evidence of practice.
Evidence for practice — existing research
Evidence for practice involves examining and using existing research to identify best practices and inform changes in practice. It provides compelling evidence that school libraries and library staff have a positive impact on student achievement.
Evidence in practice — professional knowledge and experience
Evidence in practice draws on the knowledge and professional experience of your library staff. It includes information about your own school library setting. The evidence comes from data generated from your library practice, as well as your observations and understanding of how and why things happen in a particular way, in your library.
Evidence of practice
Evidence of practice focuses on finding the real results of what school libraries do. Its purpose is to find out what has changed for learners as a result of changes in practice.
This evidence will come from information collected in your school. Student achievement data can be useful, along with evidence you’ve gathered, particularly from your library users.
From Evidence-based practice and why it matters
Library development based on the spiral of inquiry moves through 6 key steps:
- Scanning: what’s going on for our learners?
- Focusing: where will we focus most of our attention?
- Developing a hunch: how are we contributing to the situation?
- New professional learning: where and how will we learn more about what we do?
- Taking action: what will we do differently?
- Checking: have we made a difference?