In 2003-2004, the ACP completed its most anticipated, influential study to date, "The Crisis in Canada's School Libraries: The Case for Reform and Re-investment" by Ronald Haycock. In particular, the study demonstrates the important role of teacher-librarians and school libraries in introducing Canadian books to students of all ages. However, over the past twenty years Canadian schools have had to reduce their intellectual and material resources--teacher librarians and books--due to financial factors, such as provincial budget reductions and internal constraints cause by increased competition for funding. Along with these changes has been a diminution in the purchase and use of Canadian books for use by Canadian students. In light of these challenges to school libraries, the ACP undertook the cooperative marketing project "Canadian Books in Schools: Raising the Profile" in order to address and determine a method for Canadian publishers to market and raise the profile of Canadian books in schools. To purchase a copy of the Haycock report, please visit the ACP Studies page.
As a first step in this project, the ACP engaged Helena Aalto, a publishing and education consultant, to assess the response to the Haycock study. She interviewed 28 people from the education community and school library stakeholders including principals, teacher-librarians, administrators, education professors, parent groups and book wholesalers. This report, "A Sampling Survey of Response to The Crisis in Canada's School Libraries: The Case for Reform and Reinvestment", is also available in the ACP Studies section.
The ACP then contracted Helena Aalto to analyze the best methods for marketing to educators and teacher-librarians. By using appropriate marketing strategies, publishers will be able to successfully increase their presence in the educational market. Over 125 interviews were conducted with members of the educational community across Canada, with wholesalers and with booksellers. The results of this research can be found in the study "Canadian Books in Schools: Raising the Profile", which was completed in late 2004.
The ACP is developing a major marketing and advocacy campaign to promote the proliferation of Canadian-authored and Canadian-published books in school libraries, and the importance of well-funded and staffed school libraries in the Canadian educational system, based on recommendations presented in the Aalto study.
