A Systematic Review of U.S. School Library Standards: A Qualitative Synthesis of Policy Expectations Across Jurisdictions

School library standards in the United States play a central role in shaping expectations for K–12 library programs, influencing instructional practice, professional roles, resource allocation, technology integration, and equity of access. Although research has consistently linked well-resourced school libraries to positive student outcomes, the standards that define and guide school library practice have not been systematically synthesized across governance levels. This study presents a qualitative systematic review of U.S. school library standards, integrating national and state-level frameworks through structured document analysis. Using a preregistered protocol, authoritative standards documents issued by professional organizations and state agencies were identified, screened, and analyzed across core domains, including instruction, staffing, collections, technology, and equity. Extracted qualitative data were synthesized through within-document and cross-document thematic analysis to examine alignment, variation, and embedded assumptions. Findings highlight broad conceptual agreement regarding the instructional role of school libraries alongside substantial divergence in prescriptiveness, operational guidance, and accountability mechanisms. Many standards embed implicit assumptions about institutional capacity, including staffing and funding, that may not align with on-the-ground conditions. By treating standards as policy-relevant artifacts, this review clarifies how school library expectations are articulated and constrained across contexts, offering implications for policy coherence, implementation, and future standards development.