What's new

Date: 
Thursday, 5 November, 2015

Today SCL and ASCEL, along with the Minister for Culture and the Digital Economy, Ed Vaizey and ACE Chief Executive, Darren Henley, unveiled new ways for people and communities to learn in public libraries across England. The Universal Learning Offer is available in all library services across England and brings together hundreds of unique self-directed learning opportunities for library users, and broadens the range of learning opportunities on offer in local libraries.The Learning Offer will provide libraries with “Code Green”: a detailed Digital Making Kit, a how-to guide to give customers hands-on experience in computer programming (coding), designing and making 3D objects, building robots, creating apps and many other creative activities for all ages. The Learning Offer resources will build on SCL’s Digital Skills Training programme that reached 14,000 library staff.

Further details

Code Green

Date: 
Friday, 25 September, 2015

Library leaders across England and Wales confirm the welcome offered to refugees and asylum seekers from public libraries

The Society of Chief Librarians (SCL), along with colleagues in the Association of Senior Children's and Education Librarians (ASCEL) have confirmed that public libraries are safe, trusted spaces and are able to offer a range of vital free services for new arrivals in local communities across the country. Libraries enable people to connect in new communities and remain connected to the communities and loved ones that they left behind.

Read the full statement

 

Date: 
Monday, 21 September, 2015

The Children's Promise Self-Assessment tool will enable library services to measure their children’s provision against the statements in ASCEL’s Children’s Promise.

This assessment can either be used service-wide or for specific libraries. Version 1 is intended for Service-wide assessment and Version 2 is for specific libraries.

You will need to decide how frequently it should be carried out. We suggest annually.

Date: 
Thursday, 23 April, 2015

The Children’s Library Journeys report published today sets out a national framework for the “Library Journey” highlighting the key interactions public libraries should have with children as they grow.

“We are delighted that this work has highlighted so clearly the significance of library services in children’s lives. It has revealed exciting opportunities for new digital engagement and has also emphasized the importance of the library as a rich and welcoming space for children within the local community”. Sarah Mears Chair: The Association of Senior Children’s and Education Librarians.

Children's Library Journeys report

Children's Library Journeys: Background research report

Children's Library Journeys press release

The research behind the report was carried out by Laura Crossley for The Association of Senior Children’s and Education Librarians (ASCEL) on behalf of Arts Council England and The Society of Chief Librarians (SCL). It followed recommendations from the Arts Council England funded Automatic Library Membership Pilot (Siddall, 2014) that there should be a universal offer that “positions the enrolment of each child within a series of staged interactions between an individual and the library service, with regular repetitions of the library message”.

Date: 
Tuesday, 23 December, 2014

Read our response to the Independent Report on Public Libraries

 

Date: 
Sunday, 14 December, 2014

Read this report from Emma Ali from Bolton of her experiences at her first ASCEL Conference, November 2014

"I can honestly say this conference is the most valuable thing I have ever done in my professional life - the thing I have learned will have a direct impact on the children and young people I work with."

Date: 
Tuesday, 2 December, 2014

"The lives of today's children are not dominated by digital information by they are immersed in it."

Our research report published today (2 December) gives new insight into how young children access digital technology and, crucially, suggests how public libraries might better support them in the future.

Read our press release here

Read the research report here

Date: 
Tuesday, 20 May, 2014

ASCEL and SCL have submiitted this joint response to the call for evidence from the Prime Minister's Holocaust Commission.

Date: 
Tuesday, 25 March, 2014

This is ASCEL's submission to the independent panel's call for evidence on public libraries. 

Date: 
Sunday, 16 March, 2014

ASCEL's Children & Young People's Promise sets out what we believe all public library services should offer children and young people. It also sets out how the Promise relates to each of the Universal Offers.

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