Don’t close the book on school librarians

Back in the day,” as the kids like to say, school libraries were considered little more than warehouses for books, and school librarians were usually stereotyped as bun-wearing story ladies whose greatest joy in life was to “shush” students. Thankfully, those notions are fading away, because the reality of school libraries and the teacher- librarians who staff them is far different. Today, when a nearly unlimited amount of information is available at students’ fingertips and is increasing exponentially, school library programs and teacher- librarians are a vital component of student success.

A school district’s library program, when staffed by trained teacher- librarians, helps ensure student success on the WASL, on the Senior Culminating Project, and on performance assessments in the social studies, fine arts and health/fitness that also will be required as of the 2008-2009 school year. This is why we are disheartened to learn that the Spokane Public Schools administration is considering making devastating cuts to its school library program by eliminating middle school librarians and reducing the number of elementary school librarians by half.

Many school districts are facing the difficult budget decisions that the Spokane Schools administration is currently struggling with. We know that when money is tight, tough decisions have to be made. Unfortunately, the impulse in some school districts has been to cut library programs first, when, in fact, they should not be considered any more dispensable than language arts, math, science or social studies programs. As teacher-librarians and board members of the Washington Library Media Association, the professional organization for more than 1,400 school librarians across the state, we feel that the Spokane Schools administration should be supporting and strengthening, rather than decimating, its school library program.

Research conducted in several states shows a direct link between strong school library programs and student achievement. These studies find that students at schools with libraries that are well-staffed and well-funded consistently score from 10 to 18 percent higher on state assessments than students at schools without strong library programs. Don’t Spokane students deserve these same advantages?

Education leaders know that reading skills are fundamental to all kinds of learning and that students who read well are more successful in all subject areas. Students read and learn more if they have a ready supply of high-quality resources and guidance for accessing and analyzing them. Teacher-librarians also help students build reading skills by promoting recreational reading. Reading experts agree that students who read frequently and read material of their own choosing, whether comic books or classics, become better readers and are likely to be lifelong readers. Reading advocacy is one of the primary responsibilities of teacher-librarians, and this function goes far beyond checking out books.

The number one goal of the No Child Left Behind legislation is to ensure that students are literate. In addition, Washington State Learning Goal I mandates that all students will “read with comprehension, write with skill, and communicate effectively and responsibly in a variety of ways and settings.” Thus, it is particularly ironic that the Spokane Schools administration is seriously considering cutting its library program just when political, business and education leaders around the country are demanding that literacy become the highest priority in our schools.

Last year, our state Legislature, recognizing the value of school libraries to student success, passed a law addressing the operation of school library programs and the important role that teacher-librarians play in student achievement. As described in the RCW 28A.320.240, trained teacher-librarians provide an essential information skills program, including technology and literacy instruction, for all students. The Spokane Schools proposal is a shortsighted solution that will have long-term negative consequences for students and the community.

All students in Washington state deserve a high-quality school library program to ensure their success in school and beyond.