Volume 35 Nº 2 - July 1999
The effect of local management of schools on school libraries in the UK
Gaynor Eyre
Despite cultural, social and political differences, educational reforms in many English-speaking countries, including Australia, New Zealand and the UK, have striking similarities. The pivotal theme of combining both decentralisation of management to schools whilst paradoxically creating greater centralisation of control is common in all policies (Lowe Boyd, 1992 : 511). This is evidenced by the recommendations of various reports, including the Australian Karmel Report (Australian Schools Commission, 1973), the Picot Report in New Zealand (Picot, 1988) and the Education Reform Act (1988) in Britian...
In April of this year, Gaynor Eyre joined the staff of the School of Information Studies at Charles Sturt University as a lecturer, leaving a post at the Department of Information Studies, University of Wales Aberystwyth in the UK. She was also recently awarded a PhD by the University of Sheffield, for research which examined the effect of the Local Management of Schools Clauses of the Education Reform Act (1988) on School Library Services in England and Wales.
Gaynor spent approximately 20 years working in public library services in Britain, 13 of which were spent in library services to schools for young people. More recent posts included head of library services to School and Young People, Derbyshire County Library Service and principal librarian, Young People's Services, Sheffield City Information and Library Services. After being a member of several regional and National committees of the Library Association, in 1991 became chair, Youth Libraries Group, National committee, Chair of the Carnegie/Kate Greenaway National Selection Panel. For two years she was also adviser, Library Services for Children and Education, to the Association of Metropolitan Chief Librarians Group.
Until moving to Australia this year, Gaynor was a regular reviewer of children's literature for Junior Education, a British journal for primary school teachers and was also a panel member and reviewer for the journal's Best Books of the Year supplement. She was also a member of the working party that produced Children and Young People: Library Association Guidelines for Public Library Services. (1991).
geyre@csu.edu.au
