Role of School Libraries in Promoting a Reading Culture in High Schools in Chinhoyi, Mashonaland West Province, Zimbabwe

Abstract

A school library is essential to any school’s learning and teaching activities since it serves as an information and innovation hub. School libraries can play a crucial part in developing a reading culture by providing free and equitable access to reading materials. Chinhoyi is the provincial capital of one of the 10 administrative provinces in Zimbabwe, Mashonaland West Province. The town has four high schools—three government-funded schools and one private school. This study sought to ascertain the role played by school libraries in promoting a reading culture in high schools. The study was qualitative and adopted an interpretive research paradigm with a focus group and face-to-face interviews. The research established that although some schools have libraries, learners are not using the libraries due to outdated and irrelevant resources, and some libraries are not functional. Challenges were noted regarding why the reading culture is declining in Chinhoyi high schools. The main challenges were a lack of resources, a lack of qualified personnel to manage the library, and a lack of funds to buy resources for the school libraries. Based on these findings, the study suggests the following recommendations: schools should employ qualified personnel; more funds to purchase library resources are required; schools should include library hours in the school timetable to allow learners to read; and libraries should introduce storytelling sessions.