How do media centers affect student achievement?
Much research has been done in the area of school libraries’ impact on student achievement. These studies have shown again and again that school libraries are important to student achievement. They are most effective when a school has a full-time, credentialed media specialist, an annual budget to maintain the collection, and sufficient clerical support. These studies can be accessed from the American Association of School Librarians website . Another factor that affects student achievement is having a flexible schedule that allows students and staff access to the media center during open library times. The research shows that the learning that takes places during open library time is most important because the instruction occurs at the time of need.
