Ms Kathleen Moran:

Libraries definitely have a role in pulling students back into reading. Regarding concerns about social media, there is so much misuse of social media but it also has much to offer in the context of access to information. What is missing, for the most part, in our system is the teaching of these skills and teaching our young people how to use and access what they need to find out through social media. Young people now are very much natives in terms of being able to use these devices but they are not native in gaining from this activity all the good things that can be gained from it. In respect of mental health supports and reading, we would argue there is no safer place to find out information than through the pages of a book and to be guided towards this information by professionals within schools. Well-stocked and well-resourced school libraries have so much to offer in guiding students, whatever their needs might be, whether they are suffering from bullying or have concerns about family issues at home, and in supporting families with family literacy.

We bring in parents all the time for book clubs, etc. I attended one recently and I do not think books were mentioned at all among the group. They were talking to each other about their concerns, such as having a child going for an operation the following week or whatever other concerns they may have had. There is so much more involved. Having this space and these facilities in schools and providing access to them is so important because they are not there for everybody by any means. The public library service is wonderful but it cannot provide what the schools libraries do. I have worked in both contexts for many years now and I strongly believe that if we want young people to access the services of libraries, we have to introduce them to them in schools. We have found that these children will then go on to use the local public library service. If they go on to third level education, post-leaving certificate courses or university, they will go on to use the library services there as well. However, children need to be introduced to libraries in schools because they are a captive audience.