A Nation Without Libraries

I’m back from a wonderful and much needed vacation in Atlanta. I have a few interesting pictures to post from my time there, but I had to stop catching up on email, paying bills and hitting the GoogleReader to post this dismal view of America that Zetta Elliott just shared with me. Take the time to click this link to a GoogleMap that will show you the school districts across America that will be losing librarians. I’ve told you why I know libriarians are critical.  Could you leave a comment about what school libraries have meant to you? Also, if your school or district is not on the map and needs to be, please add it!

I have to add that I do know school librarians aren’t the only ones losing jobs. It’s happening to too many good people in critical positions across the country. I just happen to know that school librarians are something we’ve always taken for granted. And, it kinda bothers me that as front line workers, workers who make a difference for any employer because of the direct impact they have are the ones who are losing jobs while executives and administrators continue to get raises, bonuses and perks that have a greater impact on the bottom line than front line workers’ salaries ever will.

A Nation Without School Librarians

7 thoughts on “A Nation Without Libraries”

  1. Welcome back, Edi! I have to say, I don’t understand this “race to the top” concept…why on EARTH should PUBLIC schools have to COMPETE for money? there’s this huge pot of money that could save our libraries, librarians, and better support ALL our students, and it’s being dangled out of reach? I go into schools every week that have a small bin of books in each classroom–and maybe a literacy coach who often lacks the funds to buy entire class sets of books. Our students deserve better…

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  3. We’re doing so many overlapping things from one pot of money: reading teachers, literacy coaches, librarians AND classroom teachers to support students who never learned reading in the primary grades. Classroom libraries AND school libraries. Textbooks, ebooks, databases AND library books.
    Practitioners rarely have a say.
    I think the effects show in students with little to no literacy skills, no joy of reading! It’s mind boggling how schools have gotten into this predicament.

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  4. […] And Monroe County is not alone. It’s happening in Connecticut, in New Jersey, in Arizona, and in California, too. In fact, all across the country, school library services and staff are being cut or professional librarians are being replaced with paraprofessionals. This Google Map (created by someone listed only as Shonda) shows “a nation without school librarians”–places where certified school librarian positions are to be eliminated or where librarians will have to work across multiple schools. If this is happening near you and it’s not represented on the map, be sure to update it. And stop by and tell Edi of Crazy Quilts what school libraries have meant to you. […]

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  5. boy, that is depressing. i’m so grateful that our school community fights hard against this sort of thing, but so many schools don’t have the resources to do the same…our school librarian is running a program for students from pre-K through 12th grade, she knows so many of the students by name, respects and challenges their reading routines…i’m inspired every time i’m in there. i see a diverse community of students of all ages and abilities who know the library to be a safe haven, a real community grounded in the love of books and reading; there are spontaneous booktalks, great debates, and just an atmosphere of joy nurtured by dedicated staff and volunteers. neesha meminger has a library-related post up, (for new york public libraries):
    http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com/2010/03/support-new-york-area-public-libraries.html

    that map and this post are great. maybe we can do more nat’l school library advocacy campaign things (or maybe there are already efforts that i can help promote?)…

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  7. […] And Monroe County is not alone. It’s happening in Connecticut, in New Jersey, in Arizona, and in California, too. In fact, all across the country, school library services and staff are being cut or professional librarians are being replaced with paraprofessionals. This Google Map (created by someone listed only as Shonda) shows “a nation without school librarians”–places where certified school librarian positions are to be eliminated or where librarians will have to work across multiple schools. If this is happening near you and it’s not represented on the map, be sure to update it. And stop by and tell Edi of Crazy Quilts what school libraries have meant to you. […]

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