School and system improvement
Publication Date
5-21-2025
Subjects
Artificial Intelligence, Joint use libraries, Library research, Library services, School libraries, Socioeconomic status, Surveys, Teacher librarians, Teachers, Well being
Abstract
The School Libraries in South Australia: 2024 Census offers a snapshot of the current state, challenges, and evolving roles of school libraries and their staffing in South Australia. Conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) at the behest of the School Library Association of South Australia (SLASA), this census builds upon the foundational 2019 survey (Dix et al., 2020), providing a comparative analysis that highlights significant trends, progress, and ongoing challenges over the past five years. Over 600 school librarians and principals across all sectors—Government, Catholic, and Independent—were surveyed in late-2024, investigating how school libraries have adapted in response to the impacts of the pandemic, advancements in technology, and growing focus on student wellbeing.
Recommended Citation
Dix, K. L. & Van Der Zant, T. (2025). School Libraries in South Australia: 2024 Census. Australian Council for Educational Research. https://doi.org/10.37517/978-1-74286-777-9
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2025 Australian Council for Educational Research
Place of Publication
Camberwell, Australia
Publisher
Australian Council for Educational Research
ISBN
978-1-74286-777-9
DOI
https://doi.org/10.37517/978-1-74286-777-9
Geographic Subject
South Australia
Included in
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons, Library and Information Science Commons
Comments
This publication was commissioned by the School Library Association of South Australia. The Australian Council for Educational Research wishes to thank SLASA for their ongoing support and contributions during the research. In particular, we would like to acknowledge Hajnalka Molloy, SLASA President, for her determination to achieve census-quality response rates in a year that continues to be challenging for schools. We are indebted to the 600+ South Australian school librarians, administrative staff and principals who completed the Census. Thank you. The authors would also like to thank the ACER staff who were involved in supporting this study, in particular, Jade Kay, Toby Carslake, Tarissa Hidajat, Liz Puah and Pru Mitchell, Manager of the Cunningham Library, for their expertise.