CULTIVATING CRITICAL THINKING IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARY

Abstract

This article posits the school library as a fundamental and dynamic agent in the systematic development of student critical thinking, a competency deemed essential for academic success, democratic participation, and navigating the contemporary information ecosystem. Moving beyond traditional perceptions of the library as a mere repository, the paper frames it as a proactive learning laboratory where inquiry, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation are actively practiced. The discussion is examining the theoretical alignment between librarianship and critical pedagogy, detailing a framework for embedded practice, presenting a case study of implementation, and analyzing the resulting implications for student learning outcomes and the evolving role of the school librarian. The argument concludes that intentional pedagogical design within the library program, centred on inquiry-based models and strategic resource curation, is not ancillary but integral to cultivating the critical minds required in the twenty-first century.