Oct 05 2007
School library research makes the case for more targeted support
eSchool News online – School library research makes the case for more targeted support
“The average school library today is a well-connected facility with significant numbers of computers for students and staff to do research, according to a major survey of school library media centers. But the survey also suggests that school district leaders need to pay more attention to their elementary school libraries and that larger schools should be spending more per pupil on their libraries than they do now.”
Our district is one of those that has one certified librarian serving six elementary schools. It’s sad. She can’t possibly be doing all that needs to be done to prepare these students to become information literate. I bet they don’t have “significant numbers of computers for research” either. I’ve only got 8 computers and on any given day chances are that 2 of them won’t be working properly. Three of them are ancient iMacs (blueberry!) that are slower than molasses. The kids only use them because I can’t use my Remote Desktop program to spy on what they’re doing so they can potentially get away with more goofing off.
I believe our district’s per pupil expenditure for books is about $7. With the average cost of a book being in the neighborhood of $20 (plus processing) that’s a dismal 1 book per 3 students a year.
I’ve contacted my representative and senators about the SKILLs Act in hopes of improving the librarian to school statistic in libraries in PA. We should be highly qualified in order to prepare our students for the world of work that they’ll be entering. I wonder what the outcome of the vote will be.
