The Norwegian School Library Program – What has been achieved?

The Norwegian School Library Program was a four-year, national project (2009-13) designed to strengthen the school library as an educational tool. The objective of the program was that school libraries be actively used in reading education and the promotion of information literacy. The University of Agder (UiA) managed the program on behalf of the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training, and it had several prioritized areas: competency raising through studies and courses, practice-related school projects and the development of a digital collection of ideas as well as teaching resources on information literacy. Upon the completion of the program in August 2013, 210 development projects had been carried out under its auspices: 105 Norwegian municipalities participated, and all counties were represented as well. University courses in School Library Studies were developed and two websites created. The program required the principal to be project manager and the entire project group, including the principal, school librarian and participating teachers, were to attend a continuing education course. Commitment on the part of the owner of the school, the municipality, was seen as equally important. The projects placed great emphasis on achieving good forms of cooperation, both within the schools and with public libraries and local communities. NIFU, Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education, evaluated the program and published their report in March of this year. This paper presents some of the initiatives leading up to the establishment of the Norwegian School Library Program and sums up the program management’s experiences in the light of NIFU’s evaluation.