More than half a million students could be losing out on crucial support because many areas of the country have no Schools Library Service (SLS).
The local authority services advise schools and provide training on managing and developing their school libraries, teaching resources and on things like ICT and digital fluency.
They also lend or make available for purchase carefully chosen resources to support teaching and learning.
However, a new tool created by the School Library Association (SLA) has highlighted worrying gaps in provision across the country.
The interactive map, pictured right, allows schools to see where their nearest SLS can be found but in doing so also highlights those areas with a dearth of provision.
For example, in Northern Ireland there are only five SLS and in Cumbria, the second largest county in England, there is only one, based in Carlisle.
The SLA has said an estimated 600,000 children around the country do not have access to the work of such services and that this could have a detrimental effect on standards of education.
Tricia Adams, director of the SLA, told Headteacher Update: “School libraries, particularly in smaller schools, have often relied on Schools Library Service resources to add a changing collection of books to their own resources, as well as using the support and training they offer for the development of their library staff.
“Without this being available locally there are cost and time implications for staff undertaking training and also less resources available to the students. Wide reading and access to books is shown, through research, to be a motivator and support in higher achievement for students."
In the UK, schools choose individually how much they are going to invest into the school library and have to pay an annual fee of around £80 a year to register the facility.
Ms Adams added: “Schools Library Services can provide much needed support in the way of training and resources to schools.
“Their gradual decline is a worrying trend when considering support for students. By producing this interactive map we are hoping to help schools find the practical help and support they need."
Gillian Harris, chair of the Association of Senior Children's and Education Librarians, which has helped to produce the resource, added: “Where schools do not have a Schools Library Service in their area they should look to neighbouring authorities for support as all schools library services can offer services outside their immediate area."
To view the interactive map, visit www.sla.org.uk/sls-map.php