What is School Library

Despite the fact that South Africa has been a democracy for 23 years and the efforts made to improve the education landscape, there is still a crisis in the high school library system. This affects the school careers of learners and their lifelong-learning opportunities. The lack and loss of school libraries, as resources for education, deprive learners of their right to a school library and a place to grow mentally and academically. This chapter advocates for libraries in high schools. The study adopted a qualitative approach where primary data was collected through a multiple case study, using in-depth interviews at three schools in the Gauteng Province. School A was a rural high school; school B was a former model-C high school; and school C a township high school. The key findings underscore the importance of libraries in the academic success of learners. Recommendations are made on how advocacy for libraries in high schools could be re-directed.