Policy changes rarely arrive as a single, coherent shift. New priorities emerge while existing practices continue, and that overlap creates tension. Activity theory offers a helpful way to understand and overcome this. 

In simple terms, the school library operates as part of a wider system made up of: 

• people (students, admin, teacher, leaders)  

• tools (books, databases, devices)  

• rules (policies, timetables, expectations)  

• roles (who does what, and who has permissions)  

When policy changes, these elements do not adjust in unison, hence the tension. It also results in unintended consequences. Take this example from Sweden.  

There was a strong push by the Swedish state to embrace technological possibilities and to ensure children and young people were prepared for the workplace. However, as school library print collections were reduced, and electronic devices introduced, reading standards were affected. This policy was reversed, and, 

“It has already had remarkable results. Every child in Bakri’s class can read well, she said, and it helps them not just in Swedish-language teaching but in every subject, from maths to science and geography.” 

This is how change often unfolds. One priority surfaces another. The library becomes the place where those priorities collide, and where they must work in practice. 

In many schools, the people guiding this work have been part of the library community for years. That experience brings insight, trust, and a strong sense of what works. At the same time, education continues to evolve – through technology, curriculum, and expectations. Staying grounded draws on that experience while allowing it to develop.