In this paper, conducted a questionnaire survey with teachers at prefectural high schools in Kanagawa to determine their consciousness of reading guidance and the status of implementation of the guidance. On the basis of an analysis of the results, I would like to examine the ways for teacher librarians and school librarians to provide effective support to teachers in implementing reading guidance.

The analysis results showed discrepancies among teachers regarding consciousness of reading guidance and degree of interest in it, as well as the status of implementation, depending on the teachers’ subjects, years of experience, etc. Significantly, Japanese and math teachers perceive reading guidance differently and request a different kind of support from school libraries, while Japanese and geography, history and civics teachers have different tendencies regarding implementation of reading guidance and are considered to have a different view of the guidance. Generally, teachers believe that Japanese teachers are supposed to introduce books to students and provide guidance on using school libraries. Further, despite their interest in reading guidance, younger teachers tend to fail to implement the guidance. By taking into consideration these observations, teacher librarians and school librarians are expected to determine appropriate ways of support for reading guidance tailored to the needs of respective teachers as well as to their sense of distance regarding the guidance.

This study examined the drafting process of the School Library Law during the early postwar period in Japan from 1952 to 1953. The author traced the main points of legislative process on the primary materials (e.g. Fukagawa Documents). The author examined difference among three bills for submitting to the Diet.

In the drafting process, there was confrontation and compromise among each actor (the Ministry of Education, the School Library Association, political parties etc.). The final bill was passed after many complications. The Ministry of Education criticized the legislation of the School Library Law throughout the drafting process. At that time, the policy of teacher training and higher education had influenced the design of the Shisho-Kyoyu (teacher librarian) system greatly. It was found that the Ministry of Education had been preparing to draft the School Library Promotion Law as an alternative bill. On the other hand, the Ministry of Finance officially objected to the establishment of the Shisho- Kyoyu system.