by Sarah Pavey
School librarians across Europe are being called upon to play ever more strategic roles in their schools. No longer simply custodians of books and databases, today’s international school librarians are curriculum leaders, digital literacy mentors and champions of inclusive learning. The Leading Your International School Library course, taking place in Frankfurt on the 9th-10th October, is designed to help you step confidently into that leadership space and make a lasting impact in your school.
This two-day programme builds on the success of the Shanghai edition of the course (which took place at Dulwich College Puxi) delivered in Asia earlier this year, but has been carefully reworked for the European context. Delegates from IB and British curriculum international schools will find the content especially relevant. Here’s why this updated course could be the most valuable professional development you take this year.
Building on Success – with a European Focus
The Shanghai course helped international school librarians navigate issues such as censorship, database access restrictions and cultural expectations in Asia. While these remain vital topics in some contexts, European international school librarians face a different landscape. Fiction is rarely censored, and databases are freely accessible (albeit often with subscription charges). The Frankfurt course, therefore, shifts the emphasis from censorship to the growing challenge of critical literacy, misinformation, disinformation and AI-generated content.
European international schools also operate under inspection and accreditation frameworks such as Ofsted, ISI and CIS, alongside IB evaluation visits. The course now makes explicit connections between school library leadership and how it can contribute to whole-school improvement within these frameworks. By the end of the course, you’ll be equipped with the language and tools to advocate for your library’s impact in ways school leaders and inspectors will recognise.
What’s New for Frankfurt – Artificial Intelligence Tools
One of the most significant changes to the programme is a stronger emphasis on AI literacy and practical applications. You’ll explore how generative AI can:
- support lesson design and inquiry scaffolding
- offer multilingual translation and accessibility tools
- provide personalised reading recommendations
- generate data dashboards for analysing library impact
Equally important, we’ll unpack the ethical considerations of AI, especially in light of European legislation such as the GDPR and the forthcoming EU AI Act and the 2029 Pisa digital literacy tests. Delegates will leave with strategies for ensuring AI is used responsibly and transparently in their schools.
Curriculum Connections
The course now explicitly aligns library leadership to the IB Learner Profile, ATL skills, TOK and Extended Essay, as well as to the British GCSE, A-level and EPQ frameworks. Through practical examples, you’ll learn how to position yourself as a co-teacher, mentor and curriculum partner in both systems. This alignment makes your role visible and valued by subject staff and senior leaders alike.
The EU DigiComp Framework
We’ve added content on the European Digital Competence Framework (DigiComp) – the benchmark for digital skills across Europe. You’ll see how your school library programmes map neatly to DigiComp while also reinforcing IB and British curriculum outcomes. This not only strengthens your teaching practice but also gives you a powerful advocacy tool when working with leadership teams and inspection bodies.
Networking
The Frankfurt course highlights opportunities to connect with European networks such as ECIS and IASL Europe and includes case studies from international schools in Germany and beyond. You’ll leave with fresh ideas from your peers and a stronger sense of belonging to a community of practice.
What you will gain
By the end of the two days, you will:
- Define your leadership style and see how it contributes to school-wide improvement.
- Design inclusive and future-ready learning spaces that support multilingual and diverse learners.
- Curate resources strategically, with emphasis on combating misinformation and bias.
- Harness AI tools ethically to support inquiry, research and reading promotion.
- Measure and demonstrate your impact using both traditional data and AI-enhanced analytics.
- Grow professionally by connecting with European and global networks, and by planning your next steps in CPD and career development.
Perhaps most importantly, you’ll leave with a clear action plan tailored to your own school – not just ideas, but practical next steps you can take immediately.
A Course That Inspires: Why You Should Join Us in Frankfurt
This course is not about abstract theory. It’s about empowering you as a leader, equipping you with tools you can use the very next day and connecting you with colleagues who share your challenges and aspirations. Whether you are new to leadership and librarianship or an experienced librarian head seeking to refresh your vision, the Frankfurt course offers a unique opportunity to reimagine your role for the European context.
School libraries are at the heart of international education. They shape inquiry, critical thinking, digital literacy and reading cultures. By joining us in Frankfurt, you’ll gain the confidence, knowledge, and community you need to lead your library and your school into the future.
We look forward to seeing you there in Frankfurt!
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LYIS Lead Meets Head to Guangzhou and Seoul:
