Combating the Demise of School Libraries

      For some time, school libraries have felt the sting of budget and staff cuts. Some districts have done away with school libraries completely, much to the detriment of both students and staff. In order to combat these budget cuts, Nancy Everhart, former AASL President, decided to tour school libraries throughout the country in order to showcase their programs. This "Vision Tour", as she deemed it, helped put the hard work and student-based results of school librarians into the forefront. While school librarians protested budget cuts, Ms. Everhart brought government officials and school superintendents into the library to see just what goes on in the space. These were the people who were making the decisions to cut funding and programs. Some of the librarians noted that it was the first time the superintendent has ever visited their library. This information begs the question, how can anyone make an informed decision without even basic knowledge about the support and programs these libraries provide?
       While on this Vision Tour, Nancy Everhart spoke with the students about their school libraries. There are no greater experts than those who utilize these spaces every day. The phrases most often heard by Nancy were that the students go to the library to "solve problems", "have fun", and "use their imagination". Without these spaces and the knowledgeable people who run them, students will miss out on opportunities to problem-solve and use their imaginations in a different and sometimes freer environment than classrooms allow.
       By the time she was finished touring the country and showcasing examples of innovative and resourceful school library programs, Nancy Everhart had made a list of 100 things students would miss out on if all school libraries were no longer a priority. This was then turned into a poster and marketed in schools and across districts who were seeing a decline in school libraries.  Highlights of the list pictured below include sharing information with others, a safe haven, confidentiality, and the ability to construct and defend arguments using correct sources. This, along with evidence of how librarians help students in the areas of reading and technology, was very eye opening. Schools should support their libraries and school librarians.They should give students every opportunity to fall in love with learning and reading and encourage different forms of media and technology usage if they want to give them the best chance to succeed.

Everhart, Nancy. "Responding to School Library Cuts". Knowledge Quest. 

       Sep/Oct2016, Vol. 45 Issue 1, p16-19.

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