Seven Domains of School Library Practice
Literacies
School library staff foster a culture of reading for pleasure and empower students and staff with the literacies needed to read, think, and communicate effectively in a complex world.
The Literacies domain unites reading for pleasure with the information, digital, media and emerging literacies essential for learning and participation in a modern world. It promotes joyful, inclusive reading while empowering students and staff to evaluate information, think critically, and communicate confidently across multiple platforms.
What could this look like in practice?
- Promoting joyful, choice-based reading and reading selection skills.
- Developing reading programs that highlight student voice and choice.
- Embedding information and digital literacy lessons into curriculum contexts.
- Developing digital literacy education addressing AI and emerging technologies skills and ethical use.
Where are you now?
Reflect on your practice, using these statements, relevant to your role.
- What literacies are most important for our learners today and how does the library contribute to developing these?
- How do we support reading for pleasure and reading for learning?
- Are students encouraged to think critically about information and supported to learn these skills?
- Are our literacy and reading for pleasure programs making an impact and how do we know this?
Finding your next step
Benefits of Reading Graphics
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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.