Christina Erb
The Demise of School Libraries and how it effects low-income students.
Are schools shutting down their libraries? If so, why? Could it be because during the pandemic schools learned they could function without them? That maybe the library isn't as important to students as they were once thought to be? Has the funding been cut so much, that there is no room in the budget for a functioning library and staff?
In 2019, there were 20% fewer school librarians than a decade earlier according to the School Librarian Investigation-Decline or Evolution? (SLIDE) research project (Staff). School librarians play a vital role a student's learning, but they are being cut. Many public schools do not have libraries and the number of low-income schools with no library are even higher, so the kids who may need the resources the most are not getting them. Nancy Bailey says, "if this nation cares for its students, and if they're worried about learning gaps between the rich and poor, and equity, where's the concerted effort to save school libraries?"
school-ageThe Progressive reported that in Philadelphia, only 16 percent of their 326 public schools have a professional librarian. This affects 73 percent of students who are Black or Latinx; almost half living in disadvantaged households. (Bailey) How are kids supposed to learn a love for reading and have access to information if they do not have access to a library, many students do not have the privilege of being able to go to their local public library after school or on the weekends. For many school age students, the only library they can use is their school library, and that is being taken away.
Staff, S. (2021, November 1). School libraries 2021: Impact, obstacles, and the fight for the future. School Library Journal. https://www.slj.com/story/school-libraries-2021-impact-obstacles-and-the-fight-for-the-future
Bailey, N. (2022, April 5). Nancy Bailey’s education website: The dangerous end of school libraries and public education. National Education Policy Center. https://nepc.colorado.edu/blog/school-libraries
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