Introduction

The Minister's Advisory Committee on Curriculum and Instruction was established in the fall of 1981 with a mandate to determine the strengths of the educational system in Saskatchewan and to identify the aspects of the system that are in need of change. The Committee's final report, Directions1, reaffirmed that education in Saskatchewan is based upon a commitment to meeting the many and varied needs of the individual learner. The report recommended changes which would ensure quality education in all schools in Saskatchewan.

The Minister's Advisory Committee on Curriculum and Instruction also addressed the role of the resource centre in meeting needs of individual learners and in supporting curriculum. It stated, "The role of the learning resource centre is to provide access to a wide variety of resources that are chosen to support the curriculum and meet the individual needs of staff and students. In addition, the learning resource centre provides programs and services that ensure the effective use of those resources and thus improve the quality of education in the school."2

A sub-project report, commissioned by the Advisory Committee, found that the quality of resource centre programs in Saskatchewan varies widely.3 In some divisions exemplary programs were found; in others, virtually none. This indicated the need for more information and guidance related to developing effective school resource centre programs.

This sub-project report recommended that a Learning Resource Centre Advisory Committee be established to develop policy and guidelines for resource centres.

In response to this recommendation the Minister of Education appointed an Advisory Committee on Learning Resource Centre Services in late 1985. The Committee included representatives from the Saskatchewan League of Educational Administrators, Directors and Superintendents; Saskatchewan School Trustees Association; Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation; Saskatchewan Association of Educational Media Specialists; Saskatchewan Library; University of Saskatchewan; University of Regina; and Saskatchewan Education.

The Advisory Committee on Learning Resource Centre Services met regularly throughout 1986 and developed a series of recommendations. Resource-Based Learning, is based on these recommendations. Resource-Based Learning has three major sections:
Saskatchewan Education's Resource Centre Policy, a set of guidelines and an outline of responsibilities.

The policy statement affirms Saskatchewan Education's commitment to resource-based learning and to resource centre development, as a means of implementing resource-based learning in the province's schools.

By outlining three stages of development, the guidelines describe how quality resource centre service can be achieved.

Finally, the outline of responsibilities describes the roles played by the province, the school division and the school in meeting the standards suggested in the guidelines.

1. Directions: The Final Report. Minister's Advisory Committee, Curriculum and Instruction, Regina: Saskatchewan Education, 1984.

2. Directions: The Final Report. Minister's Advisory Committee, Curriculum and Instruction, Regina: Saskatchewan Education, 1984. p. 39.

3. Learning Resource Centres in Saskatchewan, Alixe Hambleton, Regina: Saskatchewan Education, 1983.

Saskatchewan Education's Learning Resource Centre Policy

Two of the most important goals of education in Saskatchewan are to meet the many and varied needs of individual learners, and to develop in students the information processing skills necessary to handle increasing amounts of information and expanding technology. Saskatchewan Education advocates resource-based instruction as a means of achieving both of these goals. Because the learning resource centre is the most effective way of providing materials and services necessary for resource-based learning, Saskatchewan Education affirms the importance of resource centre service.

Program is at the heart of resource centre service. The school learning resource centre program should reflect the curricular needs, expectations and goals of the school and the school division. The resource centre program is dependent on four basic components: personnel, facilities, collection and budget. Saskatchewan Education makes the following recommendations about each of these components.

Personnel: An effective resource centre program requires both professional and support staff. A program integral to the curriculum should be under the direction of a teacher-librarian whose time is spent on professional tasks.

Facilities: The resource centre requires adequate facilities to fulfil its goals. Appropriate storage, furnishings and equipment should be provided, in addition to attractive and functional space.