UK report: School libraries often a "wasted resource"

Schools libraries in the United Kingdom are too often a "wasted resource" which should be brought into the mainstream of teaching, according to School Libraries: A Plan for Improvement. The report from the School Library Commission says their importance has been neglected and that almost a third of staff responsible for school libraries have "no specialist knowledge of children's literature."

The commission, chaired by former education secretary Baroness Estelle Morris, has published its findings after examining the current state of school facilities. At a time when fewer than half of all 8 to 14-year-olds in the UK have read a book in the last month, it is critical that all the resources available to support pupil achievement are being targeted effectively and used efficiently, the report said. To read more about the report, visit BBC News online. To view the full report, visit the National Literacy Trust website.