Petition · past parliament · Department for Education
Make school libraries and librarians a statutory requirement
Closed
2,837 signatures
What the petition asks
Access to a school library and a qualified librarian should be the right of every child. Government should create a statutory requirement for every school to have a library and qualified librarian to support the development of learning and reading for pleasure.
Evidence shows that reading for pleasure improves life outcomes, lifelong mental health and academic attainment and has a greater impact on children’s attainment than socio-economic background. Despite this, 1 in 7 primary schools in England don’t have a library. Many more have a library but no qualified staff. Libraries are a statutory requirement in prisons but not in schools and in an era where schools are chronically underfunded anything non-statutory will be the first thing to disappear.
Timeline
| 8 Mar 2023 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 8 Sep 2023 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
2,837
Status
Closed
Department
Department for Education
Opened
8 Mar 2023
Closed
8 Sep 2023
Follow this petition
Sign in to get an email when the government responds, a debate is scheduled or held, or the petition closes.
Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.