PRESENTATION OUTLINE
. . . . . what it is like to spend a day - or a week - in our shoes.
That many of my library’s books are being “loved to death” and I can’t afford to replace them…
That I’m thankful to be full-time in my library, but with all the other things that are piled on me I don’t ever feel like I’m doing enough…
That there’s no way for me to ever get everything shelved and still teach classes because we can’t afford to hire a clerk…
That having children excitedly tell me about the books they read from my library makes me happy, but I really wish that I could afford to buy more of what they want…
That most of my students only have access to books and technology here at school and this might be the only library they have ever visited…
My students prefer paper books instead of online or ebooks.
Many of the high school students at my school do not have a computer or internet access at home.
School children cannot get to a library unless someone takes them (which does not always happen).
I have an open library schedule, and I usually work 30-60 minutes after school each day.
My position has been turned into an itinerant position. Next year I will serve all of the elementary students in our county ~ 750 kids at 2 schools.
In the larger school of approximately 550, the library will only be open 3-4 days a week. In the smaller school, it will only be open 1-2 days a week because neither school has an assistant, as recommended in KDES’s Library Media Rubric for proficient school libraries. Following the recommendations of this document would mean that schools are being shorted one library media specialist and 1 1/2 assistants. Many of these kids only have access to books from the school library, and now it will be limited access.
My budget is very small at both schools, approximately $2000 for the larger one and $1000 for the smaller one. KDE’s Library Media Rubric recommends $15 per students. That means that I should have a budget of approximately $8200 for the larger school and $3000 for the smaller one. As you can see, neither are close. Therefore, I’m not always able to get the most up-to-date books to support students in their learning and teachers in their teaching with such meager budgets. To supplement this, I hold book fairs and sell t-shirts. However, many times I buy items out of my own pocket too. That takes away resources from my own kids, which isn’t fair to them, but I do it because I love my students.
last year my book budget was cut by $2000. This year, when I was hoping for a restoration of funding, it was further cut by another $500.
My students DEPEND on having
GREAT books
in the library to read!
I spend $75.00 a month on my book club out of my own money to feed them at our meetings. (It’s the little things.)
Just because I love them!
I fundraise $2,000 a year to purchase books for my book club by picking up trash & selling items at track-n-field day, just so I can promote reading throughout the year with my book club.
I pay for mileage/registration for PD for most of my conferences out of my own pocket.
I buy most of my supplies out of my own money.
Librarians in schools are who make lovers of reading-we can’t do that without books!
How much testing gets in the way of learning. Students are CONSTANTLY being tested - this frustrates them, removes real life purposes for learning, and takes away instructional time. Many teachers don't have adequate time to instruct, due to demands for more and more data.
Students and teachers are people, and can therefore not be fit into a mold that can be easily defined by data. Judging our success by charts and graphs is limiting and and untrue measure of what's actually happening in our schools.
School libraries are sometimes the only place a child will be given books and access to technology. They should be required and funded.
Education is becoming a less and less attractive field due to the strains that are constantly being placed on teachers, with no funding or time to handle them. This will be to our detriment as a country. The pressure needs to back off.
A full-time librarian and support of the library leads to student achievement.
How much the testing gets in the way of the learning
How much of our own money we spend on the kids
How hard the lives of some these kids are.
How important the school libraries are, especially for disadvantaged/at-risk kids: For many, it’s the ONLY place they’re going to get books or use a computer.
The school library is the heart of the school! It is NOT just a book repository; it is a busy hub where students read, learn, research, and play and where teachers get the resources they need to be successful. If we want our students and teachers to be successful, they need time, opportunity, and resources. A well-funded school library can provide all those things. An underfunded, unappreciated school library sends the message that lifelong learning does not matter.
How much the goals of education have changed since they were school children. What do I mean? Education actually used to be about identifying who was suited for additional schooling and who was more suited for work that did not required additional schooling. Those who learned readily, given the methods of teaching used in the past, were those who went on for additional schooling (and the legislators are likely to be the very people for whom schools worked well). Those who did not learn readily, given the methods in use, were channeled elsewhere, but they could still end up earning a living that supported a family.
How much has been learned about how people learn since the time they were in school. And how schools and educators work hard to use this new information in support of their students.
Standardized testing, while making score comparisons possible, does not fully reveal whether or not students are learning.
Today, schools and educators are charged with making sure everyone learns – that everyone does indeed make progress, and this is a worthy goal.
Today, educators are charged with insuring increasing mastery of content and skills, not merely coverage of content and skills. Mastery vs. coverage. Making sure learning really happens vs. covering material. These are huge changes, and I suspect many have never thought about the difference this makes in schooling compared with how they were taught when they were in school.
In my position, I visit and support over 145 school librarians in our district. In every building, at every level, I see skilled professionals working diligently to help students achieve. Instruction happens in our libraries, and it is aligned to KCAS and AASL standards.
Librarians are focused on integrating technology in meaningful ways, and are deeply invested in creating 21st century learning opportunities. We have librarians who are coding with students, managing innovative service projects and makerspaces, pioneering 3-D printer projects, creating multimedia presentations, facilitating inquiry projects and processes, managing special programming initiatives, writing/winning grants, and above all, fostering a love of reading!
All the current research that points to self-selected recreational reading as the key component in raising literacy skills and in creating life-long readers, and we are all familiar with the research that proves readers are academic "succeeders". Librarians ignite these readers through e-books, book talks, book clubs, book trailers featuring Kentucky Bluegrass and other award titles, and innovative displays and programming such as Blind Date with a Book, Book Cafes, Poetry Slams, and others
Tthe collections students self-select from are current and exciting, thanks to being cataloged and curated by a certified library science professional. Using data from their collection analyses, circulation data, student and school community surveys, hours spent poring over book reviews and new releases, librarians continually add and delete resources to maintain a dynamic collection. In addition to keeping hundreds of books shelved and rotating daily, library databases must be maintained and updated regularly.
Our librarians participate in library centered Professional Learning Communities, and for the most part are members of professional organizations. All of our librarians complete at least 24 hours of professional development training each year in library related sessions. They are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to engage and challenge students with their library programs, and to collaborate with and support faculty members in instructional units.
Without clerks, librarians must cut programming and collaboration just to be able to keep books shelved, cataloged, and circulating. That without technology, 21st century projects and skills are a dream, not a reality. That without funding, collections become old and tired, and librarians lose that edge in hooking readers. That without inclusion as a collaborative partner, students lose and information specialist and teachers lose an instructional partner familiar with all K-12 content.
When legislators vote in favor of school libraries, their impact is both larger and smaller than they might realize, as I'm sure they can all recall a time when a librarian found that just-right book and put it in their hands.
In large, school librarians are undervalued by school districts. All schools should have a full time certified school librarian. Not a teacher who is not certified.
Not a .5, .4, .3, .2 or even .1 librarian.
Librarians make significant contributions to literacy, contribute to a positive school culture, provide a central gathering place, maybe a refuge at times, and promote cohesiveness in the building.
Legislators and administrators should know that technology does not make the librarian less important—it increases the responsibilities of librarians by requiring them to be proficient and creative in more areas.
Librarians are lifelong learners and curious by nature and share that with their students every day.
The harm they are doing our students and staff by creating a statute that allows schools to have a minimum of a .2 Library Media Specialist position.
A LMS is not just someone who checks out books, shelves or reads a story. He/she plays an integral part in preparing our students to be career and college ready.
My library and reading incentives are solely funded by my book fair. If I'm lucky, I might get a little left over title money.
My heart breaks when my students ask
"if I have ....." (a new book or series) and then see the light extinguish from their eyes.
Students choose not to get a library book because
"their teachers have newer books in the classroom"
The size of my library is very small and is used to teach multiple subjects.
Our technology is in carts that wheels around the school.
We would love to have some more space and room for multiple classes to use the library.
Many of my students have NO books at home - that is why the school library is so very important
Many of my students depend on our school for basic supplies - including toilet paper for their homes.
Many of my students don't have food to eat on weekends
The school library is sometimes the only equalizer when it comes to having access to those new teen novels that come out and everyone is reading them. Some of our teens would never be able to read them if they didn't have a library to access these books.
My students really miss having access to the library when we have to be closed for testing or meetings. What other space, besides the gym, do students REALLY admit to missing in school?!!
My students LOVE our library and would be very lost without it! Many have told me in an anonymous survey that the library is their favorite place in the building. I welcome all groups/cliques in the library. No one is excluded.
There's more to libraries than just a place to check out books.
How busy a library really is.
In my school it is not OK for regular core classes to go over cap size. However, my library classes may have up to 60 students at once with no additional help.
Even worse, I might have as many as 75+ students during open check-out time .
How the library provides resources for all students
School library positions across the state are being reduced despite research which consistently shows that full-time, certified school librarians have a positive impact on student achievement (regardless of other factors).
That even though Kentucky has a law that says each school will employ a certified school librarian, not all schools comply.
