Study of over 60,000 students identifies loss of school libraries as central to Australia’s falling literacy standards
School libraries a ‘no-brainer’ place to start Australia’s literacy rebuild as report of nearly 60,000 readers identifies loss of libraries as central to students’ literacy lag.
Across the nation, school libraries are in a “steady decline” as Australian students face falling literacy standards and resistance to the joy of reading a good book.
Experts say just 15 minutes of reading a day can expose children to millions more words by the time they finish school and lead to improved literacy outcomes.
But as school libraries become few and far between, students’ engagement with reading continues to decline.
The 2025 What Kids Are Reading (WKAR) report published by Renaissance examined the reading habits of 58,325 students across 356 schools nationally.
It found strong engagement for primary school students, but a notable drop in reading volume and comprehension once students reach secondary school.
Senior leader at Renaissance Australia Kate McGrath said there were “big challenges” in the middle and senior years in terms of students’ engagement with reading.
Her team identified school libraries as a primary factor in the decline.
“Libraries have a massive impact,” she said.
“Students need to be engaged in and enjoy the books they’re reading.
“That’s the number one factor which determines whether students become a lifelong reader.
“They need someone to encourage that, which is typically a librarian who are extremely qualified and passionate guides for students readers.”
Australian School Library Association (ASLA) president and primary school teacher-librarian Martha Itzcovitz described funding school libraries and librarians as the “no-brainer” place to begin Australia’s literacy rebuild.
She said school principals, policy makers and departments are not prioritising school libraries in terms of funding and adequate staffing, an opinion shared by 51 per cent of participants in the 2024 Australian School Library Survey.
Ms Itzcovitz said well-resourced and adequately staffed school libraries are crucial for helping students learn to love reading.
“It’s not just the library that’s important, it’s the people,” she said.
“Librarians follow students through their schooling and we see their reading journey.
“We’re the ones who know them and can guide them to the books they will enjoy.
“Kids don’t just pick up a book — they need to be guided.
“A lot of children also do not have books at home — they rely on school libraries.”
Ms Itzcovitz said national data on the demise of school libraries was scarce as many libraries may simply be a couple of bookshelves in a hallway, or get converted into multimedia spaces — often without a qualified librarian staffing the space.
A 2024 survey of South Australian school libraries published in May found only 15 per cent of schools in the jurisdiction had a qualified librarian on their staff.
Most respondents (84 per cent) reported stagnating or declining library budgets.
Nearly a quarter of respondents reported a reduction (13 per cent) or repurposing (10 per cent) of the school’s library space while two schools lost their library altogether.
Ms McGrath and Ms Itzcovitz agreed the loss of libraries would lead to poorer literacy outcomes for Australian students.
“Policy makers need to consider the correlation between literacy levels and school libraries,” Ms Itzcovitz said.
“They need to talk to librarians and listen.”
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Originally published as Study of over 60,000 students identifies loss of school libraries as central to Australia’s falling literacy standards
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