How an intensive collaboration between the National Portuguese Reading Plan and the School Libraries Network Programme plays an important role in the promotion of reading literacy, as a baseline to develop all kinds of other literacy abilities, empowering the role of school libraries and the collaborative work between the school community and the school library, by reporting one of the most significant projects, which shows the relevance of this partnership.

1. The National Reading Plan and the School Libraries
Network Programme: promoting a reading culture in
Inspiring connections: learning, libraries & literacy
2010 IASL Conference
World Class Learning and Literacy through School Libraries
http://www.planonacionaldeleitura.gov.pt
lermais@planonacionaldeleitura.gov.pt
http://www.rbe.min-edu.pt/
ana.martins@rbe.min-edu.pt
Network Programme: promoting a reading culture in
school community – a close partnership
Brisbane, BCEC 27 September - 1 October 2010

2. 1. Key outcomes
Portuguese School Library overview
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World Class Learning and Literacy through School Libraries

3. Pilot testing the School Library Self
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World Class Learning and Literacy through School Libraries
2. School Libraries Self Evaluation Model
Improving quality through a culture of evidence based practice and
advocacy
Pilot testing the School Library Self
Evaluation Model since 2008;
In-service training of teacher
librarians;
Implementation of the model by
all school libraries in 2010.

4. 3. School Libraries Network Programme (SLNP) External Evaluation
Leadership
Team motivation
Quality and effectiveness of network development
2010 IASL Conference
World Class Learning and Literacy through School Libraries
Quality and effectiveness of network development
Regional coordinators supporting school libraries in the field
School Libraries Self Evaluation Model
Guidelines

5. 4. Legal recognition of the teacher librarian professional position
All clusters of schools have a teacher librarian
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World Class Learning and Literacy through School Libraries
Teacher librarian is the actor of change.
All clusters of schools have a teacher librarian

6. National Reading Plan (NRP)
launched in 2006 to improve reading skills and reading habits.
It is a response to the concerns on the levels of literacy of the general
population, especially youths, as this level is significantly lower than the
European average.
the target audience which is given priority in the first phase and which
2010 IASL Conference
World Class Learning and Literacy through School Libraries
the target audience which is given priority in the first phase and which
will run for five years, are children who attend Pre-School Education and
children who attend Basic Education, especially during the first six years
of school.
NRP and SLNP work together and school libraries have an important
role to place the book at the centre of the school activity, preparing
innovative projects.

7. National Reading Plan
Interministerial programme: education, culture and parliamentary
affaires.
Coordination: Ministry of Education.
2010 IASL Conference
World Class Learning and Literacy through School Libraries
Strategic partners:
for programmes in the Education area – School Library Network
Office (RBE);
for programmes in the cultural and public reading area: public
libraries based under the responsibility of local municipalities.

8. An action plan was conceived, involving several institutions, schools,
public libraries, social institutions, private institutions, civil associations
with relevant significance to educational system, namely throughout
the network between School Libraries and the National Reading
Plan.
2010 IASL Conference
World Class Learning and Literacy through School Libraries

9. Programmes and projects set to encourage and promote reading:
in school contexts
- classroom
- school libraries
in the context of public libraries and other community services
2010 IASL Conference
World Class Learning and Literacy through School Libraries
in the context of public libraries and other community services
in the family/leisure time context
in unconventional reading contexts
Experimental projects for the promotion of reading
The project aLeR+ shows the partnership between School
Libraries Network Programme and National Reading Plan.

10. Main goal of the project:
To raise a culture of school where the pleasure of reading and reading
are central elements across all curricula and extracurricular activities,
involving all elements of the educational community.
National Reading Plan and the School Libraries Network Programme
launched aLeR+ Project in the school year 2008/09 in a partnership with
National Literacy Trust and Reading Connects Project (UK).
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World Class Learning and Literacy through School Libraries
involving all elements of the educational community.
Financial and technical support by SLNP and NRP

11. “…finding ways to engage students in reading may be one of
the most effective ways to leverage social change…”
Reading for Change, OECD, 2002
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World Class Learning and Literacy through School Libraries

12. Seeking to encourage schools to set reading and the pleasure of reading
in the centre of their educational project and its activities, following a
set of guidelines:
• To set the pleasure of reading in the centre of its efforts to raise the
standards of learning for students and educational success;
Develop an integrated culture of reading
2010 IASL Conference
World Class Learning and Literacy through School Libraries
standards of learning for students and educational success;
• To involve all the elements of the educational community in reading
promotion - educators, teachers, staff, parents and librarians, local
authorities, etc.;
• To work in partnership with families to encourage reading at home...

13. Resources
• Financial support from NRP.
• Booklets: presentation, guidelines, family toolkit.
• Materials to support the development of projects (online).
• Certificate and access to the logo.
• Technical support from NRP and SLNP.
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World Class Learning and Literacy through School Libraries
• Technical support from NRP and SLNP.

14. Supervision
regular communication
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regional meetings
visits to schools
national meeting

15. Communication and dissemination
moodle platform
a summary of reading activities - film
NRP portal and SLNP portal
Annual Conference (July 2010)
2010 IASL Conference
World Class Learning and Literacy through School Libraries
NRP portal and SLNP portal
meetings, seminars …
1 annual meeting
Annual Conference (July 2010)

16. Internal evaluation based on:
“The close supervision by the lead team to all schools within the project,
was considered a positive aspect and seems to became a greater
responsibility and recognition by all teachers and school boards ”
In, 2010 NRP Evaluation Report
Supervision visits of the lead team.
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Supervision visits of the lead team.
Documentation produced under the project.
Presentation of activities in the annual conference of the project.

17. Findings
a real progress in different reading areas
reading promotion related to literature was the main focus in the
first year
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World Class Learning and Literacy through School Libraries
first year
second year, 90% of the projects work with curricula and
articulation with the all school
a strong impact in school community

18. External evaluation findings
the added value of this project in the promotion of a reading
culture
the teacher librarian and school library are the main actors of
change
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World Class Learning and Literacy through School Libraries
change
relevance of the partnership between the two programs: SLNP
and NRP
a major sensibility to reading issues
reading as a cross curricula activity
reading is a daily routine either in formal or informal schooling
activities

19. “... diversity and originality of activities developed by schools. Involving all
school community, in a reading environment spread out to families and
community…”
Teacher librarian, in 2010 NRP Evaluation Report
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20. more coherent and consistent reading promotion activities
a greater interaction between school library and teachers
increasing of collaborative work between teacher librarian and teachers
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21. aLeR+ is developing a “reading policy in schools”
“I think that now we can talk about a truly reading policy and
that makes the difference... a major engagement of teachers of
different subjects “
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“All teachers have the same focus, they try to achieve the same
goals and not isolated activities (as it was in the beginning).“
Teacher librarian, in 2010 NRP Evaluation Report

22. a greater interaction between public library, school library and
school community
parents and local community, including local authorities are
much more involved
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“Reading club works for
parents, too…and a lot of
them do the recommended
reading…”
Teacher Librarian, in 2010 NRP Evaluation Report

23. the added value of teacher librarian
“… a major factor of improvement, evidenced in the study cases,
is the teacher librarian position and the practical results of this
measure…All school recognize the central role of school library in
the organization and in performing activities…”
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the organization and in performing activities…”
in 2010 NRP Evaluation Report

24. What schools say:
“The school library is the heart of school. School library is leading and keeps
students, teachers and others moving… “
“The project has contributed to turn reading a main focus in school
community…”
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community…”
“More time in classroom contexts addressed to reading in different kind of
reading (scientific, poetry, literature, maths…)”
“… a reading plan to each class is conceived with the support of school library …”
Teacher Librarians, in 2010 NRP Evaluation Report

25. “School as a reading community is a very difficult task, but if we
have three conditions:
A lot of books, lot of good books for learning and pleasure;
Many teachers as good reading models;
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Many teachers as good reading models;
A school library competent to put reading in
the center of the school aims;
this is the way, we are sure…”
Lina Duarte, teacher librarian, in Noesis (2010), 82, Jul./Sept.