School Libraries in Evolving Education Systems: An Activity-Theoretical Approach

Changes in educational policy and practice demand that we examine school library programs from a new perspective. As a model that takes a developmental view of minds in context, activity theory is particularly well suited to the study of school libraries and the learning that occurs therein. This paper presents an activitytheoretic model of the school library and delineates its elements and relationships. Case examples drawn from an ongoing study of libraries in the midst of school reform demonstrate the application of this framework and suggest how it may be employed to guide research and the development of library services and practices.