Elizabeth, this looks so great. I'm really hopeful I'll be able to join you each month.

@Elizabeth Thanks for those links, I knew it would be out there but just hadn't managed to actually investigate yet!

@Elizabeth There are other places in the school where they can work collaboratively, the library is a small, open space and is the only place on school grounds where they can work quietly. I do keep checking with them that it's their preference as I find it surprising too, but they seem to like the studious atmosphere it provides! We're on the smaller side of schools though, so that will make a big difference!

@Rachel Chavez I had similar thoughts in making it reassess the 'data' I have to hand about the existing perceptions of me and the library itself. I found it useful in prompting thoughts about other areas of the service too, and how customer service is built on strong systems, and how I can improve those we have in place.

To me I need to see the research that says this is so - I think evidence based conversations are much more effective. I need to investigate the research in this area though, I haven't actually looked yet! There can be several barriers - perception of professional status, lack of connection to the subject, lack of interest personally, so I think we need to target individuals rather than expecting a broad brush approach to work. In the scope of our own schools that is, obviously. Bigger picture is a different challenge!

I'm in the regional SLA and Independent School Libraries Groups. I find them very useful, but I'm keen to do more with CILIP as I feel quite removed from them these days and I used to be very active before entering school librarianship.

I need to be better about this, but like rhodgson I tend to assume "so what?" about my own work! It's easy to minimise what you are doing, and it's my renewed focus to try and find ways to celebrate what the library is offering.

We have a Library Committee of pupils which is really useful. I find they're often timid about criticism though, when I would love to hear what is going badly. I'm interested in developing a questionnaire, although the timings of doing so and actually having it be completed would be a challenge.

I show them different types of sources so they can see that different types of information will serve a different need. I also use the CRAAP approach with EPQ pupils. I find working with examples most effective, but it can be difficult to convince them it's a necessary task!

I find this hard sometimes. We also have a silent library at pupil's request, and it can be difficult to balance asking pupils to be quiet and building positive relationships with them. Discipline vs. a welcoming environment can be hard to do, however I work from the assumption that the other pupils will probably appreciate the library being quiet.

I use Twitter, a staff book group, lots of conversation with other staff. I find the most useful promotion is that which comes from other people though - get one staff member on board, the department tends to follow. Help out a pupil with a class task, see their friends the next day. I've also brought my dog in a few times which has worked wonders!

I really agree with this, but think it's actually incredibly difficult to truly articulate "what we offer." Of course pupils and staff are broadly aware of the functions of the library, but what does it really mean to their academic and personal development? I feel as though using the library would of course be positively impactful for pupils, but it does require impetus from them - and those that would hugely benefit are not necessarily the ones that will feel able to ask, for all sorts of reasons. I struggle with the fact that the benefits of using the libraries are often intangible and hard for a pupil to necessarily absorb (i.e. reading helps with empathy... does that actually matter to them at this point?) so would love to find a way to express what we can truly offer in the big picture as well as the 'every day.' I'm not sure this has made much sense - sorry!