IFLA-UNESCO School Library Manifesto 2025: A Vital Advocacy Tool for School Librarians

By Ceire Hopley - Librarian, Waiopehu College 
IFLA School Libraries Section Standing Committee Member 2022-2025

The newly released IFLA-UNESCO School Library Manifesto 2025 is here—and it’s a powerful, timely tool for school librarians worldwide.
This updated version of the 1999 Manifesto reflects the transformative changes in education, technology, and society over the past two decades. It reaffirms what we already know: that school libraries are essential to inclusive, high-quality education.
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For school librarians, the Manifesto provides both validation and a clear framework for advocacy—particularly in countries where there is no legal requirement for school libraries or qualified librarians. In these contexts, many schools use the Manifesto as the foundation for building and sustaining their library programmes.
Endorsed unanimously by UNESCO’s Information for All Programme (IFAP) in April 2025, the Manifesto is the result of collaborative work between IFLA, IASL, and the global school library community. 
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Key Messages for School Librarians
The Manifesto reinforces what we advocate for every day:

• Qualified and professionally recognised library staff
• ​Access to quality resources, collections, and technologies
• Supportive leadership and sustainable funding
• A central role in school-wide literacy, learning, and wellbeing strategies
• Equity of access and a commitment to human rights

​It also highlights the importance of collaboration—school librarians should be embedded in whole-school planning, not working in isolation.

How You Can Use the Manifesto:

• Share it with your school leadership and Board of Trustees
• Use it as a “health check” to evaluate your current library services
• Incorporate it into your strategic planning and reporting
• Refer to it when advocating for staffing, space, funding, or resources
• Promote it within your professional networks and community

A beautiful poster and bookmark accompany the Manifesto, summarising its key messages in a visually engaging format. Both the Manifesto and poster have been translated into multiple languages.
Having a shared international document like the Manifesto helps unite school librarians across borders. It gives us common language, shared goals, and a powerful advocacy foundation to work from—whether we’re just getting started or leading well-established programmes.

📄 Access the Manifesto and downloadable poster here:
👉 IFLA-UNESCO School Library Manifesto 2025

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