Seven Domains of School Library Practice
The Seven Domains of School Library Practice framework captures the core dimensions of effective school library practice: environment, resources, learning, community, literacies, leadership, and innovation.
Seven Domains of School Library Practice
The Seven Domains of School Library Practice framework provides a holistic guide for leading, designing, and sustaining effective school library programs. Each domain, Environment, Reading, Learning, Resources, Leadership, Innovation, and Community, represents a key aspect of professional practice that together shape dynamic, future-focused libraries. The framework recognises the interconnected nature of these domains, highlighting how thoughtful design, guided learning, diverse collections, supported literacies, strategic leadership, creative innovation, and strong community connections work in harmony to enhance learning, wellbeing, and engagement.
How to use the Framework
The Seven Domains of School Library Practice is designed to be used by school library staff as both a reflective and developmental tool. Each domain invites you to consider your library’s current strengths and opportunities for growth across key areas of practice, from space and design to innovation and community. The framework can guide strategic planning, inform professional goals, and spark team discussions. It can also serve to aid advocacy, evidence collection, helping libraries demonstrate their impact.
Explore the Domains
Why a Framework?
Have you ever had to justify your role or the place a school library holds in a school? The Seven Domains of School Library practice is designed to be a framework that provides a shared language and clarity for the complex, multidimensional work of school libraries. The Seven Domains capture the essential elements that make a library thrive and through which they have such a massive impact on their school. By articulating these domains, the framework aims to help schools, school leadership, and families, recognise that an effective library is not a single function but a dynamic system that supports every aspect of student growth and school life.
The framework is also designed to support school library professionals improve their own practice and the work of their school library.
Framework Resources
The Seven Domains of School Library Practice is designed to be a practical guide and tool for school library professionals. To use the guide, there are a range of helpful resources, including posters that outline the framework, and audit tools.
A Vision To Transform School Libraries
School library professionals lead innovative and transformative school libraries that are dynamic and relevant, central to teaching, wellbeing, and community, helping to secure the future of school libraries as essential hubs of knowledge, creativity, and connection.
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The Seven Domains of School Library Practice Framework © 2025 by Madison Dearnaley is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
© Copyright 2025 Madison Dearnaley.