Seven Domains of School Library Practice
Environment
School library staff design and manage flexible, functional, and inspiring spaces that reflect the school library’s role as a hub of learning, wellbeing, and critical and creative thinking.
The Environment domain focuses on creating library spaces that inspire curiosity, comfort, and connection. It encompasses everything from layout and zoning to furniture, lighting, and atmosphere — all designed to support flexible learning, wellbeing, and creative collaboration. Thoughtful design transforms the library into a vibrant hub where students feel welcome and engaged.
What could this look like in practice?
- Use signage and displays to provide connection with resources, programs and learning.
- Create clear zones for individual work, collaborative learning, and making.
- Integrate technology, using both physical and digital spaces to provide access to library services.
- Create safe, inclusive, and welcoming environments for all users.
Where are you now?
Reflect on your practice, using these statements, relevant to your role.
- What first impressions do students, staff and visitors have when they enter the library?
- How effectively do our physical and digital environments support teaching, learning and reading?
- Does every member of our community feel welcome, safe and included within our library?
- Are our digital environments as intuitive and welcoming as our physical spaces?
Finding your next step
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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, Literacies, 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.
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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.
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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 2026 Madison Dearnaley.