PA Passes Historic Resolution to Study School Libraries
RSSBy Debra Lau Whelan
Another grassroots success story: Pennsylvania has for the first time passed a resolution focused solely on school libraries. The House of Representatives unanimously voted on October 4 in favor of asking the State Board of Education and the Pennsylvania Department of Education to conduct an in-depth study on the status of media centers across 500 Pennsylvania K-12 districts. The reason? To uncover how many schools have lost their libraries or librarians, and the number of schools and students that have been negatively impacted by it. "As our economy worsens and with no requirements to have school libraries or librarians, we are hearing that the schools in the most impoverished parts of the state with the higher numbers of special needs kids are being deprived of library and information resources and 21st-century information skills that librarians teach," says Debra Kachel, the Pennsylvania School Library Association's (PSLA) legislation co-chairperson and the person who spearheaded the effort. The deadline for the study is June 30, 2011, and the hope is that the results will be used "to demonstrate the inequalities and to hopefully push for standards and regulations concerning school library services for students," adds Kachel, who is also Mansfield University's instructor and scholarship director in the School Library and Information Technologies Graduate School. The study is specifically charged with finding out the number of public schools without a full-time certified media specialist who oversees a centralized library collection; the ratio of certified school librarians to students; the number of support staff who work in school libraries and their qualifications; the number of hours that students have daily access to their school library; the amount of up-to-date print and electronic resources that students and teachers can access in the library; the average age and condition of books and technology in school libraries; the source and amount of library funding over the last 10 years and how it's been spent annually; the availability of up-to-date, web-equipped computers for student use in libraries; and other services and programs provided by school libraries to support students and teachers. At the moment, Pennsylvania has no idea how many schools still have libraries or librarians. But that wasn't always the case. In 2007, the Pennsylvania Department of Education eliminated its Division of School Library Services and most information about media centers came to a grinding halt, Kachel explains. What was the impetus for a school library resolution? When Kachel became the legislative chairperson of the Pennsylvania School Library Association in 2008, they asked her to reach out to other educational organizations, which put her in touch with lawmakers in the capitol and members of the nonprofit organization Education Law Center of Pennsylvania. By January 2010, Kachel was talking to supporters about ways to improve school libraries, and Representative Mark Longietti (D-Mercer Co.) agreed to be the primary sponsor of a resolution. About 900 PSLA members contacted their representatives face-to-face, by email, letters, and phone calls to ask them to co-sponsor the resolution, and eventually there were 96 sponsors. Like many states, Pennsylvania school libraries and librarians are funded by districts. "State money is given to each school district based on a formula called the Basic Education Subsidy," Kachel explains. "However, each district chooses how to spend that money after they address mandated items. Unfortunately, school libraries are not mandated and often at the bottom of the list for funding. So, basically it is often site-based management by principals that determine funding of librarians and school libraries." Even within a district there are vast differences from one school to another in terms of school library collections, staffing, and budgets. Kachel says her state's achievement might serve as a model for other states to follow. And she gives the following advice: school librarians need to meet, talk, and network with educational stakeholders outside of library groups, such as parents, legislators, and business people. "We only seem to talk to ourselves and that is getting us nowhere," she says. Also, tap into newly retired school librarians who are willing to give time to meet with legislators and others. "According to data, a lot of school librarians are retiring and many of them are so invested in the profession that they want to keep contributing," Kachel adds. Another tip? Locate non-profit groups that work with or are special education advocates because they are "organized, know what they are doing, and really, are fighting for the rights of the same students we are," she adds. "We have much to learn from them." School librarian needs to introduce themselves to their state legislators and invite them into their libraries. "The only way we will break the stereotype is for legislators to show them today's school libraries," Kachel says, adding that PSLA has a program called PSLA Legislators@Your Library in which members use retirees as event planners to help working school librarians plan legislator visits. "Librarians need to be comfortable enough to call and talk to their legislators or an aide when needed." Also, librarians need to develop a clear vision. "Ours is: All students deserve a quality school library program that includes a school librarian who teaches 21st century information skills," Kachel says. "PSLA wants this for all Pennsylvania students, not just those whose schools are wealthy enough to afford it." Passage of the resolution would have been impossible without networking and meeting others outside the school library network. "I was lucky to meet the right people who mentored me through all this," Kachel says. "I had the time to meet with legislators and tons of persistence. In my former job as a school librarian of over 30 years, one of my administrators referred to me as 'a dog with a bone.' It takes that type of tenacity and clear vision in what you want to accomplish." This article originally appeared in the newsletter Extra Helping. Go here to subscribe. Wow! I am so glad Pennsylvania is looking into the inequity in school
library services in different school districts. In my urban school district
there is only one library assistant who processes all books for
elementary librarians. Four elementary schools share two librarians.
There are no library aides. New school openings have a budget of
$15,000. Each year's budget allotted by the district is based on number
of pupils, but principals can give all or part of that money to the
librarian to purchase new books and replace old ones. I am in two
buildings - total 698 students, one budget $2,000.yr. the other one
$500- about the same number of students. I have far below the
minimum number of books per student as recommended by ALA. I
teach 14 sections in 3 days in one building and 15 sections in 3 days in
the other. I can't wait until someone contacts me. That is wonderful! I love the vision that was so clear and concise, yet said it all.
Good luck Pennsylvania colleagues! * = Required information
Rep. Mark Longietti and Debra Kachel in his Harrisburg office.
Reader Comments (2)
Posted by Marjorie D. Shearer on October 21, 2010 04:11:17PM
Posted by Joy Millam on October 21, 2010 02:23:17PM
