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 Yesterday was a terrible day for me. More bad news about budget: library budget cut in half and then to find out that on top of all the state cuts to teacher’s salaries, the bonus for being a national board certified teacher may be on the chopping block.  I am working on this article to submit to the local paper to raise awareness about the library program:

Shh! Quiet! As The District Cuts the Heart of the School Out: The Library Program

This is my thirty-fifth year of teaching. For years, I have listened to friends and colleagues discussing the budget woes in the neighboring state to the south. Perhaps I was a bit smug to think budget woes would not be in my vocabulary. I was wrong.
My district declares that all students should be able to be “world competitive upon graduation.” Yet, during this economic crisis, the district wants to cut back on the library media program. Research has shown libraries to be integral programs for students to become world competitive.
However, this district is about to cut the heart out of the school, the library program, by making cuts in the number hours support staff works and by slashing funding for books, programs and materials.
It’s a quiet proposal, not one that many patrons would think about until the impact of the cuts realized. It undermines two of the four pillars of a great library media program: staffing, budget, facilities, and student learning goals.
On paper, it might make sense. The library media program looks healthy and strong. Every school building has a minimum of one fulltime certified library media specialist and a fulltime library assistant. Cutting assistant time in half saves a potential six hundred thousand dollars for the district.
Any cut means cuts to kids. Currently, the elementary library media specialist provides a thirty-minute planning time for each classroom teacher. At middle and high school level, classes sign-up to work on research projects, get questions answered and find resources for assignments. It is possible for over 150 students to visit the library on a daily basis.
While classes are in session, other students use the library for book check out, research, a place to go for recess, and a quiet place to read. Staff members come to the library to get resources for upcoming units of study. The assistant locates and checks out the books for them. If classroom audio visual or computer equipment fails, either the assistant or the library media specialist leaves the library to troubleshoot. Reduction in staff means staff and students will have to wait.
Today, the services offered in the library have grown with technology demands. Technology has both simplified and complicated teaching in the library. Students are required to be productive users of technology, as well as academic users of technology. This requires that the library media specialist collaborate closely with staff to engage students in thinking strategies for the 21st century. The ability to do this will be extremely limited if the library media specialist must take on the duties of library materials processing and data entry, jobs of the library assistant.
Currently, the library budget is an average of $11.50 per student for books, programs, and materials. The average cost of library books is $20.00 per book. The district is preparing to reduce the budget by half. The library media program supports the core curriculum: literacy, math, science, and social studies. Will I be forced to rely on book fair sales to raise money for library books? Selection of materials to support the core needs is part of my training as a library media specialist.
I wonder how I will support the needs of staff and students when the budget cut in half. The average age of my collection is twenty years old How will I ensure that the collection does not fall behind any further in currency? Teachers used the titles in the collection more than ever as mentor texts for students.
In addition, district administration wants every child to have the opportunity to check out book whether their book is overdue or they have a book fines. As of last fall, approximately $38,000 dollars in outstanding school fines owed to the district. I admit there are some circumstances in which the child should not be held hostage because the library book is missing. Where is the fiscal responsibility in allowing students to have books when they have unpaid fines?
My district needs to consider options that will save money in ways aside from reducing important services to students and staff every day. Options could include being very selective with information databases, limiting assistant hours to student attendance days and hours, and developing a plan to curtail the rising dollars in lost or overdue materials.
Study after study has shown a clear correlation to student achievement and fully funded library programs, which includes a full-time staff assistant. The district, known for its strong library program, is dangerously coming close to stepping backward. Why take a step backward? How disheartening to hear about potential cuts to the program because of its strengths. Let’s continue to strive to be world-competitive upon graduation and keep the heart of the school in place. A fully funded library media program enables students to compete in a 21st century world.

Kepp reading. Keep using the library.

MsMac

It was busy day on the library today. Today I mentored a colleague as she created a blog for libraries.  Today I wrote to parents about the impact of the budget cuts on the library program.  This blog was put  on the back burner.

This evening however, I want to share the open letter to parents and introduce you to a new blog.  There is also a gour on Facebook.

Dear Parents,
I don’t know how aware of the looming budget challenges facing Washington state. You may have seen in the local newspaper that these challenges will affect the Evergreen School District. It means that Silver Star will be affected.
The district has a proposed list of cuts posted on its website: http://www.evergreenps.org/Pages/default.aspx. It is difficult to know exactly how the cuts will happen until the work of the legislature is complete.
However, I want to share with you that one of the largest proposed cuts affects the library program. It is proposed that the library assistants be cut to half time. In my view, this will affect the entire school. Having a full time library assistant makes it possible:

• For students to be in the library at all times of the school day.
• For students to have two qualified adults to help with research skills.
• For me to collaborate with teachers and provide seamless lessons between the classroom and the library. This is a critical piece in student achievement.
• For students to have two qualified adults who help students to find “just fit” books.

I recognize that there may need to be cuts but I am hopeful that they will be minimal. Evergreen is known for its great library media program throughout the state and now it is facing a pretty dramatic cut.
The district wants to hear from parents and patrons. They have had several public meeting to take input from the community. I am hoping that parents will speak up for libraries and ask the district to re-consider the library media assistant reduction.

There are several places that parents can get information and/or let the public know of their support for libraries and all programs that directly impact students.

Please feel free to visit:
http://cutthecuts.blogspot.com

or on Facebook there is a “Cut the Cuts to Kids” group.

You can also email the school board and the superintendent as well.

In my thirty-five years of teaching, I have never had to ask for parent support in this manner. The district has a goal that students graduate able to compete in the world community. A key component is a fully funded library media program. It makes me sad to think that our school district is going to suffer from budget cuts. This translates into kids losing out.

Sincerely,
Jone Rush MacCulloch, NBCT AKA “Ms Mac”
Library Media Specialist
Silver Star School

I never thought I would have to ask for parents and the community to support libraries.  This makes me so sad.

My colleague and her assistant have created Cut the Cuts: Libraries are Academic, a blog to inform students, parents, and the community about the importance of libraries. Visit and comment especially if you are a member of my school community.

Happy Reading.

MsMac

Before

Do you ever go through your closet and weed your clothes?  Do you ever feel like I have all these clothes and nothing to wear? Do you find it difficult to rid yourself of treasures that you just know that once those ten pounds come off, you will wear that outfit again? 

Sometimes the collections get like there are all these books and nothing to read. Weeding the collection is like closet cleaning.   If I just book talked this book more?  What do you mean get rid of it, that’s a NEWBERY Award book?  Oh,  maybe I will make a display about this book.  Sometimes it takes EXTREME measures to get the task done. 

That’s what happened a couple of weeks ago in the library.  My practicum student, stepped up to the plate and did an “extreme fiction make over”.   This project happened as a result of conversations about getting kids to elect to read by selecting books that they will stick with all the way through.  Stats were run and books were pulled.  Many graced the shelves on opening day thirty-six years ago.  

I was out of the building at a meeting when the weeding occurred.  This was a good thing. I could not say, “But I loved the Black Stallion series as a child” or “Really, you do not think we need… ? It is so much easier to look at a book on a cart, away from the collection, and see that really the book has served its time well.

The stark reality is that kids will not check out books that look old, look warm, have dated covers.  Kids will abandon their book if it is not easy to find. My fiction was guilty of that. Big time.  Now the shelves have room to breathe.  Books can be displayed outward.

After

After

Comments have been that shelves are not so overwhelming.  I look at the picture book section and the nonfiction section and I see weeding to be done.  Until the fiction books are boxed up and cleared out, those shelves are safe. 

Happy Reading.

MsMac

Really, I Am Not Ungrateful

In the diatribe that I wrote last Tuesday, I neglected to thank conference attendees for the lovely stick basket (so cool), the sparkling grape juice, and the lovely lavender body crème, ahh, it smells so great.  I devoured the last of the Moonstruck chocolate tonight as well.  I believe thanks to Laini and Jim.

Spokane Moms Rock the Library Conference

Three moms from Spokane, upset that the elementary library program was abolished, went to Olympia, WA last year and rattled cages.  As a result, every school district received $4.09 per FTE dedicated to libraries.  It is a great start but the Spokane Moms want a line item in the state budget that makes it a requirement that every school is staff with a certificated librarian.

These moms have been on the cover of School Library Journal .  They have inspired other states to follow suit.  They were at our recent Oregon-Washington Library Media Conference.  Unfortunately, I did not get to hear them. My time was spent at the autograph tables with authors and illustrators. Not a bad gig, however not much action. Having to choose between getting books autographed or going to a session was difficult for many. I felt bad for the lonely authors and iluustrators awaiting people who wanted their books signed.

So how has libraries had an impact on your life or your child’s life?  Especially school libraries.  The Spokane Moms are looking for testimony. 

CONTEST 

If you choose to post about the impact of school libraries, let me know. Leave me a comment.  I have two ARC copies of Ghost Medicine by Andrew Smith and several audio copies of Jazz by Walter Dean Myers to give away (left over from the blogging conference and great thanks to Philip Lee at Feiwel and Friends (http://us.macmillan.com/FeiwelAndFriends.aspx)

So Many Books, So Little Time

I have loved, loved, loved the opportunities to chat with authors and illustrators over the last few weeks. Now I have some books that I want to read and I wonder how I will get it done. YIKES!  Listening to audio books to and from school had been a big help.  I finished Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson last week. Oh my goodness, what an amazing story!  I hope there will be a sequel someday.  Now I am listening to Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson, great story about the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia. My namesake, Benjamin Rush is featured in the story.

At my bedside, I have:

Liar’s Diary. Patry Francis. A re-read for my book club this Sunday.

Me, Lorie Ann and Justina
North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley.  An ARC given to me by Justina, who said my skin was “luminous”, what a sweet compliment.  Thanks, Justina. I have to thank my mom for my skin.  She was the one to set me straight about skin care and drinking lots of water!

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. December’s book club suggestion for school.

Brooklyn Bridge by Karen Hesse. Gotten at the blogging conference

Teacher Man by Frank McCourt. Was the key note at the library conference.

A Maze Me: Poems for Girls by Naomi Shihab Nye. Luncheon speaker.

What is on your nightstand?

Happy Reading.

MsMac

The library is buzzing with activity these days.  The book fair, “Read to the Dog Program”, Anastasia Suen, our author, visit and grandparent’s day. This week a photo essay:

“Liz the Lizard” from teh Magic School Bus stopped by our school.

Going to the Book Safair.

Mrs. L., our principal and Liz

Book purchases support our visiting author program.

Chance and his owner, Lisa visit every week to listen to students read.

Anastasia Suen lingered beyond the blogging conference to vist my school as well as another school.

Both students and grandparents listen to Anastasia as she talked about the writing process.  Busy week here.  More in depth posts about Lisa and Chance, Anastasia’s visit and the blogging conference soon.

Happy Reading.

MsMac

It is August and that means that I am unofficially back to work. Officially not until the end of August.  But I get that itch and start thinking about what the year will bring for me.

I am beginning my 35th year of teaching and my 30th in Evergreen. Wow!

I loved, loved, loved, listening to Esme Raji Codell’s The Diary of Fairy Godmother earlier this summer. It is sooo much fun.  I will be promoting it heavily this year and hope to have a book study in the library with it.

I went through a reading drought.  I could not believe that during my road trip in July, I did not read at all!.  I have since made up for it, having read Lisa See’s Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, a Jance mystery, Web of Evil, and A Clearing in the Wild by author, Jane Kirkpatrick.  This Sunday my book club meets to decide the books for the year. Three Cups of Tea is on my nightstand and will also be suggested.

Next Tuesday, this time, I will be teaching a workshop on using poetry in a writer’s workshop.  I get to teach it twice.  I haven’t taught adults in awhile so I am a tad bit nervous about doing so.

It is 53 days until the Second Annual Kidlit Blogging Conference which I am co-chairing with Laini.  I am excited to see the registrations coming in!  Have you mailed yours yet?

Gotta get back to reading.  What are you reading?

Happy reading.

MsMac