Macroscopic Analysis of the Postwar School Library Policy in Japan

Abstract

　The transition of discussions on law, administration, and finance and the development of the postwar school library system in Japan was clarified by a macroscopic analysis of public policy theory. Using the “policy window” model of John Kingdon as a method, the streams of discussions, policies, and politics on school library during the three periods of the postwar education reform period (1947-1958), the Japanese-style education system period (1958-1987), and the 21st century-type education reform period (1987-present) were investigated. School library administration was examined in each period centered on policy trends, but it was enacted when the inadequacy was the subject of discussions and it was in line with the political agenda. In the first term, the School Library Act was enacted under the political agenda of improving school facilities, and in the second term, there was a conflict of political stream and it could not be legislated. In the third term, it was confirmed that the three policy streams became one in the political agenda of improving language and reading skills of children, the policy window opened, and the School Library Act was revised twice. Finally, the author noted that the next agenda setting will require theoretical research on inquiry-based curriculum and library methods in the learning community.