Tuesday Tidbits: Libraries are Important
You probably know that libraries are important. In my district, for the first time in my thirty years, they are endangered. Washington state is experiencing an eight billion dollar shortfall which will trickle down to all schools and government services.
I attended the public district budget meeting last night. I have seen the cuts. But what shocked me the most was that it wasn’t a committee decision to cut library support but the district. You see, on paper, libraries look flush. We are staffed with one certificated person (moi!) and a full time classified staff person. On paper, it looks like a no-brainer for saving six hundred thousand dollars of the budget.
However, depending on the elementary school, we serve between four hundred to almost seven hundred students along with staff. At elementary we see scheduled weekly classes to provide planning time to teachers.
In my building, students have the opportunity to come to the library whenever they please, even if I am in class. This is possible because I have a staff assistant. This will change if this position is cut to half time.
Collaboration with staff, creating a warm, friendly environment for students and integrating lessons were key components throughout my pursuit of the national certification process last year. I am able to put my time and energy into these because I have a fully funded program. If the program is cut, this will be more difficult.
All research points to a strong library program helps with student achievement. A strong library program needs to be fully funded. The recent Washington State Joint Task Force saw the need to fully fund libraries. Hopefully, legislature will remain to fully fund libraries in the state.
A small group of librarians have been working to find ways to cut our program in order to save our staff assistant’s positions and maintain quality in the library.
What the library program in my district needs now is parents and students to speak out about the impact the library program has had on either themselves or their children. Libraries are academic just as music is academic.
Last night, I watched the music parents and students speak out about maintaining the music program. The district was listening. District meetings will continue through out spring. Speak up for libraries. Libraries are academic.
Happy Reading.
MsMac
