An investigation on how library professionals of the Swiss Group of International Schools perceive, support, and promote the holistic well-being of their students: a qualitative study.

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to explore how the library staff of the Swiss Group of International schools perceive, promote, and foster the holistic well-being of their students. The research niche is identified by the need of expand the body of research on the role of school libraries on students’ well-being in international schools. A qualitative study based on an interpretive approach and phenomenological analysis was designed to collect the perceptions and experiences of the library staff belonging to the SGIS Librarians’ group in Switzerland. Semi-structured individual interviews (N=12) were conducted. The results show that the participants qualify their individual well-being as happiness and contentment. They transfer these positive attributes to their professional practices with the aim of providing safe and stable environments for school communities largely populated by Third Cultural Kids (TCK). The TCK paradigm has an impact on the pastoral role of the library staff who put a significant effort on maintaining positive relationships and designing a library space supporting of all the diversity. Fostering well-being is inherent to their role and an intrinsic value of being an educator beyond the curriculum.