Children’s Attendance, Circulation Up
By Debra Lau Whelan -- School Library Journal, 6/1/2007
Who says libraries aren’t cool? In fact, the circulation of children’s materials in public libraries increased 44 percent and the attendance in children’s programs jumped 42 percent from 1994 to 2004, says a new report by the American Library Association.
Contrary to popular belief that the Internet explosion sounded the death knell for the nation’s libraries, the opposite is true. Overall library visits have risen by 61 percent over the last 10 years and circulation is up by 28 percent, according to data provided by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
The same can be said for school libraries—where the number of students served increased more than 5 percent from 1999 to 2004, despite deep fiscal constraints experienced by school districts nationwide, says NCES.
Despite all the research available showing a direct link between school libraries and student achievement, many media centers continued to face funding shortages last year, resulting in the elimination of certified librarians, shortened hours, inadequate materials, and even closures of media centers. Often, school library cuts are tied to more funds being directed to the rigorous requirements of No Child Left Behind, the study says. For a copy of the report, visit www.ala.org/2007State.
