By Tracey
I want to applaud the school librarians. You've got to hand it to them for being resourceful. Have you heard about A Nation Without School Librarians? It's a collaborative GoogleMap created by a school librarian named Shonda. Each blue mark represents a place in the country where a certified librarian position has been eliminated. The red marks places where a librarian is responsible for two or more school library programs. This project was launched almost a month ago, and as word spreads, more blue and red marks appear. As our legislature goes home for the 2010 session, our school boards and administrators are meeting to discuss what next to cut. Is your school library safe? This map doesn't make me feel hopeful. I fear that in the next few weeks, as tough decisions about next year's budgets are made, we'll see more red and blue marks appear over Washington.
What is it about the librarian's position that gives administrators the idea they're not essential? I've seen it in my school. The resources from our school library have dwindled over the years. The hours have been cut. This year in my school, students in the fifth and sixth grade who join band don't ever go to the library with their class for a lesson taught by the librarian. They go on their own, if they choose, during recesses, before or after school, or during class. The rest of my students receive, on average, 30 minutes per week in the library and 120 minutes per week of PE. While I believe physical education is enormously important, there's something out of whack here. Is PE four times more important than going to the library and learning about how to do research, access information, and be exposed to fabulous children's literature?
The reasoning behind these decisions are of course to save money. The students have a classroom teacher who can teach them how to do research, access information (just think for minute what a monster of task that is these days), and expose them to fabulous literature. I can be the one who knows just the right book for each of my reluctant readers to get excited about reading. But, let's be realistic. I can't. Sure, I'd like to be that good at my job. But, being faced with more on my plate makes me less effective with all my other responsibilities. It seems more and more, each year, teachers are expected to do it all. So, what happens to a nation without school librarians? I think we leave a nation behind.
After reading this article and seeing this map for the first time, it makes me sad. I live in Maryland and work in a county where Librarians are treated like the most important asset in their school. They are the “hub” of the school and are essential to the curriculum. With the new Common Core curriculum being adopted in many states, it is important that we view the LMS as a key role in our school systems because they will be the ones preparing students to be life long learners, and inquiry based learners. The regular classroom teacher does not always have time between planning, testing, grading and teaching a fast paced curriculum how to research correctly, and find authentic resources. It is important and essential that we bring librarians back into the picture to support the classroom teachers, and collaborate with parents, teachers and administration to prepare our students for 21 century learning.
tim-10-ber, the problem with that “solution” for me is that students already have access to everything in the public library. Also, not all school libraries are poorly run.
It’s frustrating to me that the people who make the decisions and hold the purse so frequently respond to weak programs by spending less or simply eliminating them. The libraries are poorly stocked? Then stock them. They’re poorly run? Then provide the necessary resources so that the librarians can do their jobs.
I don’t want my kindergartener sent half a mile away from her school in order to check out a book. I want her teacher to be able to walk her down to the library every Thursday, so that Mr. Swann the librarian can help her pick books, show her how to find books, and be another trusted source of intellectual guidance.
I’m not moving to Nashville.
Follow what is happening in Nashville…I imagine school librarians will be gone due to an interesting project of tying school libraries to the city’s main library. This gives the kids access to everything within the full library system (yeah!) rather than the very limited and unevenly distributed poorly run school libraries. Now…the question is what happens to the librarians…they probably become “clerks” that help the kids learn the way through the system. The pilot has been successful in three high schools and is being expanded. I don’t know what has happened to the librarians. I do know the three libraries had very weak resources prior to the project.
Thanks for calling attention to this problem. A good school librarian can be the most valuable teacher in the school, by helping every student in a way that no other teacher does (except perhaps in particularly small schools). It’s definitely a values-check: a community that considers libraries or librarians to be a luxury is a community that does not truly value knowledge and self-determination.
I am a National Board Certified Media Specialist in one of the largest school districts in southern Washington. Last week, we were honored by our school board of directors with a proclamation recognizing the importance and impact of libraries and librarians. Two days later, we were told that 50 percent of the elementary librarian positions would be cut, those remaining would administrate the library programs at two schools, and we would no longer be meeting with students for 30 minutes per week. This cut would save money and allow the district to implement full-day kindergarten. It’s very sad and puzzling that the district understands the importance of contact time for kindergarten students, but seems not to understand what K-5th grade students stand to lose without a librarian. Who will teach students the importance of free and equitable access to information in a democracy; the importance, purpose, and proper use of citations; search strategies; analysis and evaluation of print and online sources; the ins and outs of copyright; and the many other Information Skills that they need to be successful in an information-rich world? Who will stay abreast of the newest in children’s literature so that perfect book is put in the hands of just the reader for whom it was written? I know my readers. I know that Hector loves cowboys and wrestling and that Elijah loves rocks and that Anthony needs the perfect rock and roll book. I know that Angela loves fantasy, particularly with a little romance. With twice as many students and twice as many teachers and no scheduled time with them, how will I know my readers?
Kristie, NBCT
Teacher Librarian
I enjoyed you article and agree with you wholeheartedly. The silence coming from these closed Libraries is deafining and the padlocks on our Children’s minds is unspeakable. Why is it so hard to understand that life skills that are taught by professional Teaching Librarians?
I believe we need to be our own best advocates — We have to sell our Libraries as special places where students and faculty alike can come to dream and to learn. Thanks –Ann
It would be a huge mistake for legislatures and district administrators to eliminate librarians.
Especially in big urban districts, the school library is where many students learn how to use a computer, have access to computers, learn how to find books, have a quiet place to study and read, and experience the deep satisfaction of being surrounded by print material.
I know that my students who live in poverty get these academic resources no where else but their school or public library.
The other thing that concerns me is that more and more librarians are being paid for out of the PTSA funds. Their position is eliminated, the parents rally, and the position is restored. At least in Seattle, there is a HUGE gap between what different neighborhoods can provide their schools. One school might have $200,000 raised at their parent auction while another is lucky to raise $30,000. Guess which school gets to keep music, art, the librarian, and aides in the classrooms when the district cuts positions? The schools with the wealthier families.
I think part of the problem might also be that teachers don’t advocate hard enough for libraries (as you are doing). It is very easy for secondary levels in particular to be dismissive of the library. However, when you have a good teacher-librarian, they are irreplaceable. In my building, our librarian collaborates with us, co-plans, advocates for our programming as well as her own, promotes pleasure reading and research resources.
But, let’s be honest here: there’s nothing on the state tests about library skills. There’s the crux of it all, unfortunately.