[ISLMA-Share] Aurora Beacon-News: West Aurora cuts school librarians

Thu May 19 13:55:09 CDT 2016

Thank you.  All of your words of support really have touched me and I know those of my colleagues too as they read all of your responses. [☹]   You guys are the best!

"There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all."

— Jacqueline Kennedy

Carla Buell
Schneider Elementary
"One of the 3 Elementary District Library Media Center Directors trying to save libraries in West Aurora..."

________________________________
From: islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info <islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info> on behalf of Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info>
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2016 1:13:57 PM
To: islma at list.railslibraries.info
Subject: Re: [ISLMA-Share] Aurora Beacon-News: West Aurora cuts school librarians

Well said. Thank you
Colleen Beierle

Colleen Beierle
“The mission for school library programs is to ensure that students are effective users of ideas and information by being critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful researchers, and ethical users of information.”

Zorana Ercegovac

On Thu, May 19, 2016 at 1:05 PM, Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>> wrote:

This is not a criticism of any one person, but if you read the article, there is no mention of the teaching and instruction that happens in an elementary school library at all. No mention of research skills or the learning triangulation of information for accuracy or digital citizenship skills being taught. Little mention of the literacy needs of the underserved and at-risk population in West Aurora, and only passing mention of the work librarians do to support the curriculum needs of specific teachers or the typing and tech skills often taught in library media centers.

In the absence of this information, it appears on the surface that the administrators are making a sound decision. It also mentions that there was no public forum, no chance for the community to show any support for their school libraries. If grass root support for school libraries exists in West Aurora, the citizens and parents can still take a stand and have their voices heard. If no one does anything, then they will have to wait until data shows that these children are lacking the literacy skills needed to read and understand the directions to do the STEM projects administrators are so anxious to implement.

While Makerspaces are places for students to engage in STEM projects, the library is the sum of all its parts. Access to books, information, good teaching, tech tools and a certified pathfinder/mentor/book guru is what makes a library a kitchen instead of a grocery store (Thanks, Joyce Valenza). Until librarians make themselves indispensable in the eyes of their faculties, students, administrators and parents, they will always be on the front lines of budget cuts and curriculum time pressures. Unfortunately in Illinois, the lack of state funding has placed district officials in no win situations and students librarians have and will continue to suffer.

My two and half cents,

Gretchen Zaitzeff
University High School
Normal, IL

________________________________
From: islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info> [islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info>] on behalf of Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association [islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>]
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2016 11:39 AM
To: 'islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>'
Subject: Re: [ISLMA-Share] Aurora Beacon-News: West Aurora cuts school librarians

If you have a kid there, doesn’t that mean you should contact your school board members and complain?

I think the real issue is as a profession we are not advocating for ourselves anywhere enough.

It doesn’t need to be much. The easiest method is to work with the powers that be. I have a board member that was a volunteer in my school library. I have a board member that is a retired teacher from my school. I have 2 of the superintendent’s kids that were past student aides in my library. I have 2 former student aides that are the children of principals in other schools in our district. I help our educational foundation and won grants through them. Each and every one of these is a connection to a decision maker. Each and every one of these people knows something about what we do in our school’s library.

Sincerely,

Alan, Librarian serving Brooks Middle School

"What a school thinks about its library is a measure of what it thinks about education."
- Harold Howe, former U.S. Commissioner of Education

From: islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info> [mailto:islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma-bounces at list.railslibraries.info>] On Behalf Of Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2016 10:15 AM
To: islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>
Subject: Re: [ISLMA-Share] Aurora Beacon-News: West Aurora cuts school librarians

I feel so bad for these kids - especially mine who is at one of these elementary schools .....

On Thu, May 19, 2016 at 8:14 AM, Email list for the Illinois School Library Media Association <islma at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:islma at list.railslibraries.info>> wrote:
Elementary School Librarians

West Aurora cuts school librarians<http://fw.to/AqnMiBc>

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--
Crystal Mahoney
Library Media Specialist
Wolf's Crossing Elementary School
630.636.3703<tel:630.636.3703>
@LRCWolverines

"No one ever told you that doing the right thing would be so hard. Or feel so lonely."
The Paper Cowboy by Kristin Levine

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