Four decades of research indicates that well-staffed, well-stocked, and well-used school libraries are correlated with increases in student achievement. Well-staffed school libraries have qualified teacher-librarians with qualifications in librarianship, digital technologies, and inquiry-based pedagogies. Well-stocked school libraries include local holdings in multiple formats and access to digital resources through the Internet. Well-used school libraries are integrated into the intellectual and cultural life of the school and community. When provincial, national, or international learning assessments are analyzed, the areas of concern that emerge are frequently library-related, particularly in the realm of information literacy practices: formulating questions, identifying appropriate sources of information, locating information, distinguishing between relevant and irrelevant information. While in parts of Canada we are cutting back on school libraries, in parts of Europe they are being supported as a force for educational reform. (Contains 5 endnotes.)