Loh, Chin Ee

In this study, we seek to understand how the presence of a trained or professional librarian (PL)1 contributes to the learning within Singapore school libraries by examining principals, library coordinators and teachers' perspectives of their school libraries.
The research questions for the study are: 1. What are the perspectives of school leaders and teachers about their school library?
2. What differences are there in perspectives between the perspectives of school leaders and teachers in schools with trained librarians and without trained librarians?

Research has demonstrated that school librarians can make a meaningful contribution to student reading proficiency, learning and academic achievement. This study examines the perspectives of school leaders and teachers in Singapore schools to better understand how they use their school library, their attitudes toward the library collection and environment, and their perception of their library coordinators' roles. Findings suggest that school leaders and teachers under-utilize the library, perceive it to be mainly a study space for students, feel that the library space and book collection should be improved and were not clear about the roles of their library staff. The study suggests that it is crucial to implement policy and professional development courses to support collaboration between principals, teachers and school librarians.