Present situation and problems of school libraries in functioning as information centers

－For building future visions mainly in high schools－

Abstract

This study is aimed at investigating the function of school libraries as information centers, clarifying the present state and problems of facilities and equipment of the information environment in school libraries through a questionnaire survey among persons-in-charge of school libraries in high schools and secondary schools, and looking into how school libraries should be operated as information centers going forward. Questionnaires were sent to persons-in-charge of school libraries from 947 public high schools and secondary schools in prefectures with a 100% school librarian assignment rate, and responses from 424 schools were received (44.8% response rate). In conclusion, the author proposes the establishment of learning commons as the future model for school libraries serving as information centers. The paper presents the current state of the creation of websites and the provision of electronic books, which are necessary for establishing the information environment of school libraries as learning commons.