Solid Foundations: A Primer on the Crucial, Critical, and Key Roles of School and Public Libraries in Children’s Development

Abstract

This article will first look at the important role that school and public libraries play in children’s development by providing crucial encouragement, critical access, and key time for reading and literacy. Then we will explore the importance of school and public library collaboration for children’s literacy and academic success. We will examine the ways in which research has demonstrated that public libraries and school libraries can work together when facilities are closed, access is limited, and budgets are cut, and will conclude with the implications for library and information science (LIS) researchers in fields beyond school libraries and youth services.