White Paper: “Insufficient School Library Provisions in Ireland: Implications for the Library and Information Science Profession” Mikayla Kifer

19.10.2026. Mikayla Kifer studied the lack of support for school libraries in Ireland and the impact on the Library and Information Science (LIS) profession as part of her Masters of Library and Information Studies degree capstone project supervised by Assoc Professor Amber Cushing. Her white paper, shared below, argues that the scarcity of school libraries in Ireland is an issue for the LIS profession insofar as it fails to uphold key professional values, represents a devaluation of library professionals on the part of the Irish Government, and limits the growth and sustainability of the library and information science profession. Read the full work below:

Bio: Mikayla Kifer recently completed the Master of Library and Information Studies programme at University College Dublin. She has a background in public library work and culture heritage. Her interests include libraries in educational contexts, expanding access to library services, and library advocacy.