+44 (0) 1273 386849How the Lundy Model Helps You Build a School Library Children Actually Use
Anyone who has spent time in a school library knows this simple truth: children are the real consumers of the service. Adults may choose the books, buy the software, and plan the timetable, but the library only comes alive when young people decide it is somewhere they want to be.
Understanding what draws them in – and what puts them off – is not always obvious. Young people rarely express their needs in formal meetings or feedback forms. Instead, they communicate through the ways they occupy the space, the activities they gravitate toward, and the choices they make when no one is nudging them.
The Lundy Model of Participation offers a practical lens for understanding this behaviour and designing a school library around it.
What is the Lundy Model of Participation?
The Lundy Model, developed by Professor Laura Lundy, is a practical framework for understanding what meaningful participation looks like for children and young people. It breaks participation into four elements that work together: Space, Voice, Audience, and Influence. Rather than relying on vague notions of student voice, the model shows the concrete conditions needed for children to express their views and see that adults take them seriously.
- Space asks whether young people have welcoming, accessible environments in which they feel comfortable expressing themselves.
- Voice focuses on how students communicate their needs – not just through words, but through behaviour, choices, and patterns of use.
- Audience ensures their insights reach the adults with the authority to act.
- Influence closes the loop by making sure something actually changes, or that students understand why it cannot. These elements describe the basic conditions under which any service becomes genuinely responsive to its users.
Â
Applied to the school library, the Lundy Model formalises what many librarians already know: a successful library is designed with students rather than around them. It helps staff notice what drives engagement, identify barriers adults may overlook, and act quickly on student needs. When paired with the practical insights a system like SLLS can surface – borrowing patterns, trends, and demand signals – the model becomes a straightforward framework for shaping a library that reflects how students really read, explore, and participate.
SPACE - Creating a library students choose
Students describe the library as a functional hub: a place to finish homework, complete ICT and Design Technology crossover lessons, or attend book club at lunchtime. These observations show that a library becomes useful when its layout matches the rhythms of school life.
Infrastructure plays a decisive role here. If students can find books quickly, navigate categories without help, and browse confidently, the library feels accessible rather than overwhelming. A confusing, non-intuitive library management system creates friction. A clear, simple one – such as SLLS – removes it and supports a space where students feel in control.
VOICE - Understanding student preferences through behaviour
Students may not articulate their needs in surveys, but their behaviour speaks plainly. Young people enjoy authentic and entertaining library social media accounts. Given the right guidance and freedom, they can form their own activity groups when staff-led ones miss the mark. They gravitate toward e-books, audiobooks, BookTok-inspired titles, and formats that fit their vibe.
Their behaviour is their voice. SLLS translates that behaviour into evidence. Borrowing trends, reservation queues, and circulation patterns become signals librarians can act on. Instead of guessing what students want, you can see it directly.
AUDIENCE - Ensuring student insight reaches decision-makers
Students do not sign off budgets or make purchasing decisions, but their preferences should shape what librarians request. When they highlight gaps in events or services –Â interest in film clubs, demand for specific formats – they provide direction. Their insistence on authentic communication shows a clear understanding of what engages them.
To carry these insights forward, librarians need data. SLLS provides reporting that turns instincts into arguments. It allows you to show senior leadership:
sustained demand for specific genres
declining use in others
spikes in digital resource activity
areas where stock no longer aligns with student behaviour
Evidence makes advocacy credible and actionable.
INFLUENCE - Showing students their input matters
Influence is not about handing control of the library to students. It is about demonstrating that their engagement leads to visible changes. When requested books appear promptly, when new categories reflect current trends, or when student-led social media shapes the library’s public voice, students see the impact of their involvement.
SLLS supports this by enabling:
fast cataloguing of new stock
simple creation of lists such as “new in” or “student picks”
immediate visibility of updates
transparent communication about changes
A system that responds quickly reinforces a library culture where participation feels worthwhile.
Using the Lundy Model school library approach
The strength of the Lundy Model in school libraries is its practicality. It is not about politics or abstract rights. It asks whether students feel welcome, whether their preferences are noticed, whether those preferences reach the right adults, and whether the library adapts in response.
A library management system determines how efficiently you can make these adjustments. SLLS gives librarians the structure, visibility, and speed needed to turn student behaviour into service improvements. It supports a library that evolves with its readers rather than around them.
A school library built this way becomes one that students return to naturally because it works on their terms.
Library Glossary for School Librarians
As a school librarian, understanding key library terms is essential. Our comprehensive library glossary provides clear definitions to help you navigate the world of library science with confidence.
Download your free glossary here:
Contact Us Today!
Contact us to discuss your library needs. We promise a swift response, ensuring your queries are addressed promptly.
We’re offering a Free One-Month Trial, with no obligations or credit card requirements, allowing you to experience our service’s value and ease firsthand.
