Article
School Library Deficiency and Curriculum Support in Algerian Private Secondary Schools in the Age of Digital Transformation and AI: A Field Study in Blida and Tipaza Provinces
In the context of digital transformation and generative artificial intelligence, school libraries remain essential to teaching and learning. This study examines the consequences of their absence in Algerian private secondary schools and its effect on curriculum support. Adopting a descriptive analytical approach, the research combined quantitative and qualitative methods. A five-point Likert scale questionnaire was administered to a purposive sample of sixty teachers from private secondary schools in Blida and Tipaza provinces, alongside semi-structured interviews with ten administrators and pedagogical supervisors. The findings indicate that financial constraints and inadequate infrastructure are the primary factors behind the absence of school libraries, with most participants emphasizing the lack of dedicated funding and suitable spaces. The study also highlights the legislative and conceptual marginalization of school libraries within the educational system. This absence has adversely affected pedagogical practices and weakened students’ research and critical thinking skills. Although digital technologies and generative AI tools are increasingly used in education, participants agreed that they cannot fully replace the educational and cultural functions of school libraries. The study therefore calls for reforming the legislative framework of private education and promoting an Algerian-adapted smart hybrid library model.
