I looked forward to the much-publicised Learning Support supplement hoping that at last some recognition would be given to school librarians for the important and often unseen role they play in supporting and enhancing teaching and learning and raising achievement.nbsp;

I find it indefensible that the only mention made was with a throway line about library assistants being needed to keep the library open beyond the normal school day.nbsp;

Are we to understand from this that librarians are now ranked alongside teachers as indispensable to teaching and learning?nbsp;

This would have been long overdue, have hadnbsp;phenomenal implications for their status, salary and professional recognition and have opened up fantastic opportunities to create real learners for life.

Alas I think not.

Librarians are highly-trained professionals with a unique combination of personal qualities, professional skills and technical competencies which have the potential to transform learning, creating enthusiastic and lifelong learners, equipped with the necessary skills and dispositions to make informed choices and to take a full place in our information-rich society.

All support staffnbsp; are crucial in providing the resources and services which ensure the smooth daily running of a school and enabling teaching staff to cope with the demands of an increasingly demanding job.nbsp;Librarians are no less important.

Eileen Armstrong
Cramlington High School
Cramlington
Northumberland
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