Thisfree badged course from The Open University, "An introduction to school librarianship", aims to develop learners’ confidence and skills in delivering a library service in schools. It could be of use to librarians with little or no knowledge, as well as those with experience who are looking to upskill. The course lasts 24 hours, with 8 ‘sessions’. You can work through the course at your own pace, so if you have more time one week there is no problem with pushing on to complete a further study session. The eight sessions are linked to ensure a logical flow through the course. They are: Session 1: A librarian’s role in the school Session 2: Equality and diversity in your school Session 3: The best use of technology Session 4: Creating a reading-rich culture Session 5: Embedding literacy in your school Session 6: Independent study and information literacy Session 7: Championing the library Session 8: Reflection and review Topics covered in the course include the library’s role in the school, legal requirements, and how best to use technology. There is an emphasis on developing an effective practice to meet stakeholders’ needs, and the course also encompasses the overarching principles necessary to support research, literacy, and reading. Throughout the course you will follow two library professionals, Sarah and Nick. Although their backgrounds differ, they both have vast experience and share the same school library goals. There will be numerous opportunities to check your learning. This includes interactive quizzes, of which Sessions 4 and 8 will provide you with an opportunity to earn a badge to demonstrate your new skills. You can read more on how to study the course and about badges in the next sections. Learning outcomes After completing this course, you will be able to:

• recognise the ways the library can support whole-school reading literacy, information literacy and research skills
• identify and use the appropriate strategies to deliver a service in the library
• use resources, confidently and critically, to meet library stakeholders’ needs and fulfil an agreed development plan
• reflect proactively on performance levels and identify steps for further development.