How the Portuguese school libraries integrate the action plans for the digital development of schools

Abstract

Developing the digital competence of educational organizations is nowadays a key dimension in the quality of schools' work. To answer the need to create digitally competent organizations, schools were invited to develop a Digital Development Action Plan. The school library, as a school structure that integrates and fosters innovation, contributes significantly to the success of these action plans, and teacher librarians have an important role to play in their design and implementation. A survey conducted by the SLN let us conclude that 85% of the 811 school clusters integrate the Action Plan for the Digital Development. The digital content and teaching digital literacy are the topics most school libraries are dealing with at the moment. However, teacher librarians are also commited to play a role in the teaching and learning practices, integrating technology in their daily work. 57% os school libraries design actions that have to do with teacher development, providing training to other teachers or receiving training and investing in the infrastructure and equipment. School libraries are no so involved in leadership and governance practices nor are they in the assessment practices, areas that need to be improved. Accordingly, in 2020/2021, the School Libraries Network (SLN), a structure of the Ministry of Education, responsible for the management of 2541 school libraries, created a guideline document («The school Library in the Action plan for the Digital Development of Schools») to support the work of teacher librarians (1373). Moreover, to facilitate their work and to involve them in this digital transition process, the Intercity Coordinators (Coordinators that are a link between the Central Office and the teacher librarians) received training on this matter and trainded most of the teacher librarins (1104 trainees, out of the 1373). In 2021/2022, the work done by the teacher librarians was monitored and good practices were identified and disseminated.