Learning Resource Centre

Learning Resource Centre (LRC) is a term which is used in the United Kingdom to describe a type of library that exists within an educational setting such as Secondary Schools, Further Education Colleges and Universities. LRC can also stand for Library Resource Centre and in some cases Learning Resource Centre has been shortened to Learning Centre. Learning Resource Centres are similar to a Hybrid library.

These centres contain traditional educational resources such as books, journals, software and audio/visual materials, but they also exist to promote electronic information resources. Examples of these are subscription electronic journals, databases, free websites and other web based resources. The traditional Librarian role has been replaced with the LRC Manager who is an Information Professional with qualifications recognised by CILIP. As well as managing the physical environment of the LRC the LRC Manager is usually involved in editing LRC web pages and making contributions to the Virtual Learning Environment, in order to provide access to quality and timely resources to colleagues and students. A key aspect of a Learning Resource centre is the application of self study in a variety of different ways. They usually include computers, places to study and often private rooms.

LRCs usually have a responsibility for the teaching of Information Literacy and/or Study Skills within the institution they are in. Although this role is firmly established in further and higher education, it has only become a serious responsibility for the Secondary School LRC since the publication of Key Stage 3 National Strategy in 2003. The schools inspectorate OfSTED have also made this a key area for school LRCs to evaluate themselves on in their self-evaluation document for LRCs in 2003.

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