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Sunday, March 6, 2022

Slice #6- When Your School Doesn't Have a Librarian (A Photo Essay)

I spent a good part of today (which happens to my birthday) working in our school library. Our school (and probably 90% of the libraries in our district) doesn't have a school librarian. We have managed to keep the library open, but just barely. I go in a couple of weekends every month. One of our teacher's sons, who is working on his GED, helps a little bit every day. Teachers do a lot of their own check out. Some of our teachers, and some of our kids, also try to help.  It's definitely not an optimal situation. 

When you don't have a school librarian, there are piles everywhere. 


When you don't have a school librarian, books only kind of get put away. (These are graphic novels that were checked in and put back in the right general area, but were never actually re-shelved). 


When you don't have a school librarian, kids don't put books back on the shelves correctly.  


Or take care of books very well.


When you don't have a  school librarian, people leave junk laying around. 




Maybe most importantly, when you don't have a school librarian, beautiful books don't get displayed and advertised. One of the things I did today was put books out across the top of all of the shelves. I do that every time I go into the library.


We haven't had a school librarian for ten years. 
We haven't had a library para for the past two, and aren't slated to have one next year. 

When you don't have a school librarian, kids suffer...



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4 comments:

  1. Becky LeffMarch 6, 2022 at 6:55 PM

    Wow, no librarian for all those years! I taught for over 20 years and going to the library was a highlight for my students. You are a true hero.

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  2. RamonaMarch 6, 2022 at 6:59 PM

    Oh, I can't imagine not having a school librarian! Thank goodness for people like you who put in the time to keep the library semi-functioning. Ten years without a librarian! Our school went from librarian to part-time librarian to library clerk to part-time library clerk. But most of that happened after I retired. What has happened to public education?

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  3. Fran HaleyMarch 6, 2022 at 7:32 PM

    First of all: Happy Birthday! Secondly - our librarian left us a few weeks ago and we don't know when a new one will come. I cannot imagine, hard as I might try, not having one for TEN YEARS. I have so many wonderful memories of the school library when I was a child - it was one of my favorite things about school. Here's to pressing on for the love of kids and reading!

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  4. ElisaMarch 7, 2022 at 9:53 PM

    We have a library assistant who comes in for almost a full day three times a week. Kids get to go to the library once a week for 30 minutes. I don't know what we would do if we didn't have an assistant. It's great that you and other teachers are trying your best to do that job, but I hope that things change for your school and district soon.

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