The school library is a vital space for student learning and wellbeing. It is generally the only place at school that inclusively welcomes students of differing ages and abilities.

For students moving up to high school, the library can be particularly helpful in promoting a sense of belonging. Many new students are daunted by the greater size of the high school compared with their primary school. It can be hard to find their way to different classrooms through a maze of unfamiliar passageways and intimidating crowds of older students. Amidst this uncertainty, the library offers a safe, welcoming meeting space (Hughes, Franz, Willis, Bland & Rolfe, 2019).

Students themselves place great place importance on the school library, as my research shows. On the other hand, they seldom say they that don’t want a school library.

By presenting the viewpoints of students, this research complements extensive evidence that school libraries make a considerable contribution to student literacy and learning based on other credible data sources, such as test scores, surveys and observations of school principals and teachers (Hughes, Bozorgian & Allan, 2014; Lance & Kachel, 2018; Scholastic, 2016).

Why does the school library matter to students?

Because in the library students ‘learn and have fun at the same time’ (Year 6 student).

Students say that in the library they can:

· Think and learn

· Be able to be me

· Feel comfortable and safe

(Hughes, et al., 2019)

Students often appreciate the school library as an alternative space, beyond the classroom, where they can think and learn. They like that the library offers a change of scene to spread out, seek information and share ideas. Here students find freedom to engage in formal study or explore individual interests, with teacher-librarians on hand to help as needed.

In the school library, students often feel ‘able to be me’. They express a sense of belonging to the whole school, while also having choice to sit alone or interact with friends.

For many students, the library represents a space of comfort and safety:

"[In the library] If you don’t like someone, like they’re not kind of nice to you, you can spread out a little bit so you don’t have to be near them." (Student A).

The school day is busy and tiring. So outside class time, many students are glad to escape to the more relaxed environment of the library. Here they enjoy peace and quiet away from lunch areas and the oval, especially in hot weather:

"It’s nice because it’s quiet and you can come in here and relax and read books and it’s cool." (Student B).

"Just sit and do nothing or read a book which is fun." (Student C).

The library also offers some privacy amidst the otherwise very public life at school:

"If you want to be away from the rest of the world, just be by yourself and be yourself then you can just go to the library." (Student D).

Students feel a sense of belonging in the school library where they can "be me" [Image:authors]

When asked to imagine their ideal school library, students offered a mix of fanciful and practical ideas, including: a rocket-powered elevator; a cupboard leading to Narnia; waterfalls; and coloured lighting that designates specific areas of the library (Willis, Hughes, & Bland, 2019).

Overall, the students’ responses indicate four key wishes for:

· Peacefulness

· Connectedness

· Adventure

· Technology.