Debra Trujillo-Gilbert: Oh, the places a librarian can take you

Imagine your favorite restaurant without its chef, or the Spokane Symphony without its conductor. Your dinner would probably be less delicious and the symphony might be a bit out of tune. The same can be said of a library without a librarian. The decision by Spokane Public Schools Superintendent Shelley Redinger and the board of directors to eliminate all librarians from its schools will result in the same kind of subpar experience for our area’s children.

While the world continues to change, often quite rapidly, children remain constant. For generations, libraries and librarians have been, for the most part, the glue between the “regular” classes and the freedom found within the world of books. Libraries become sanctuaries for some kids who aren’t yet comfortable in the often judgmental world of the social side of school. Libraries give children permission to exercise their creativity by reading titles they never before realized existed. Librarians become another adult mentor many children need to get through the day. Some colleges are instituting “safe” areas where college students can cuddle teddy bears and listen to soothing music. Can we not at least give our kids their libraries with librarians?

The importance of librarians in a child’s world is paramount to their success not only in school but in life. Reference, if you will, Phi Delta Kappan’s article “Why School Librarians Matter: What Years of Research Tell Us”: “Reading and writing scores tend to be higher for all students who have a full-time certified librarian, and when it comes to reading, students in at-risk subgroups tend to benefit more than all students combined” (Lance & Schwarz, 2012). Furthermore, “What may be more surprising is that, in a 2015 Washington state study, the presence of a certified school librarian was also a predictor of higher elementary and middle school math scores” (Coker, 2015, p. 25). While test scores are one important factor in how librarians support children, the relationship in fostering a love of reading must be lauded as well. The school librarian is able to connect with and encourage children to read on a less “authoritarian” level than a classroom teacher, which further opens the door to exploration and to learning for children.

I think school officials (and even some folks in the public) make assumptions that a school librarian’s job is primarily checking out books to students. Unfortunately, this mindset has led these same officials to take a group of dedicated and invaluable educators and discard their value and expertise. Their plan is to add many of the responsibilities of a librarian to the many hats classroom teachers already wear, as well as bringing in parent volunteers to do some of the work.

The course descriptions for the Library Media Endorsement Program at Central Washington University describe the vast requirements, responsibilities and commanded expertise of today’s librarians. School librarians teach our children the rights and responsibilities of digital citizenship. Their ability to help students learn how to research and discern credible from noncredible sources prepares our children for higher education and the workforce.

School librarians are collaborators as they work with colleagues designing lessons centered on literacy or research projects. School librarians are stewards of our books and technology paid for by taxpayers. School librarians are the heartbeat of a school. Can classroom teachers and parent volunteers fill a librarian’s shoes with the same level of expertise? No, they cannot.

I understand difficult and emotional budgetary decisions have to be made and these budgetary times are challenging for Spokane Public Schools officials. However, I highly doubt Washington’s legislators, when finalizing the state budget given the McCleary decision, intended for educator-librarians to be eliminated from our public schools. As Superintendent Redinger and the board of directors near their final budgetary decisions, I implore them to reconsider their detrimental decision to extinguish the flame of our school librarians. As Patrick Ness, a British-American author, stated, “Librarians are tour-guides for all knowledge.” Spokane Public Schools children and staff deserve to have beloved librarians in their libraries.