School Library Service for Pre-Kindergarten Students: An Analysis of Certification and Standards

Enrollments in publicly funded pre-kindergarten (pre-K) programs are on the rise in the United States with bi-partisan support for universal pre-K increasing. Hypothetically, pre-K students should be able to access the school library and receive services and instruction from the school librarian. However, it is unclear if school librarians have either the leverage to serve these pre-K students or the necessary guidance to do so. This document analysis study involved a systematic review of school librarian certification documents, school library standards, and early childhood standards for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Findings reveal uneven justification for pre-K student services and programming through school libraries. School librarians are certified to serve pre-K students in approximately half of the states, but few states have school library standards for pre-K, leaving school librarians with little direction about how best to instruct them. Implications for practice, policy, and research are discussed.