[aisle] Elimination of Full-Time Librarian In Our Two-School District

Wed Apr 6 13:31:22 CDT 2022

Karrie et al,
AISLE has recently been working on creating a statement to send to schools who are considering eliminating librarian positions (or already planning to), expressing our concern as an organization and stressing the importance of a librarian for all members of the school community.  You are not forgotten!

We also have an Advocacy committee that is working on gathering data about how many schools in the state do not currently have full-time librarians, to inundate them with information about why they need one. 😊

Gail Meyer
AISLE Board Member 2020-2022

From: AISLE <aisle-bounces at list.railslibraries.info> On Behalf Of Karrie Fisher via AISLE
Sent: Wednesday, April 6, 2022 10:02 AM
To: AISLE-Share: Association of Illinois School Library Educators discussion list <aisle at list.railslibraries.info>
Cc: Karrie Fisher <kfisher at district31.net>
Subject: Re: [aisle] Elimination of Full-Time Librarian In Our Two-School District

Hello Robin and Other Supporters,

Thank you so very much for your offer to come and support us!  I would love it!  I was thinking AISLE should have a committee that advocates for librarians to BOEs since so many of us seem to be facing the elimination of our jobs.  Wouldn't it be great if a group of us wrote letters on behalf of librarians who are losing their jobs and sent them to all the BOEs that are eliminating them?  I certainly see this situation from a different lens and would be more than happy to write letters and attend BOE meetings that are close by.

We plan on attending the board meeting and making a statement.  I'm hoping our teachers also write letters or show up because so many of them are angry and upset.

Our board meetings are public.  In addition to giving people a platform to talk, they also read letters publicly that are written to the board.  If anyone is interested, here are the details:

Date:  April 19
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: 2055 Landwehr Road, Northbrook, IL
Room:  LIBRARY (Ironically)
Contact:  All inquiries or questions for the District 31 Board of Education can be sent to d31board at district31.net<mailto:d31board at district31.net>.
Board Members: https://www.district31.net/domain/139  NOTE: Most of our board members are parents of students I teach!

Thank you to anyone who is willing to write a letter on my behalf or attend the meeting.  I will happily return the favor!

Happily Ever After,
Karrie Fisher, Library Media Specialist
[Bitmoji Image]
Winkelman Library Resources: Click HERE<http://district31.follettdestiny.com/> for the Card Catalog!

Winkelman School * 1919 Landwehr Road * Glenview, IL  60026
847-729-5650 * Fax 847-729-5654

On Wed, Apr 6, 2022 at 9:26 AM Katie Nelson via AISLE <aisle at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:aisle at list.railslibraries.info>> wrote:
Karrie,
If you think it would be appropriate - I work at a school that has two Winkelman School parents.  Would you mind if I shared the situation with these teachers?  Oftentimes I feel like the public doesn't realize what is happening until it is too late.
Let me know,
Katie

On Wed, Apr 6, 2022 at 9:16 AM Strom, Pamela M via AISLE <aisle at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:aisle at list.railslibraries.info>> wrote:
Karrie,

Good luck at the board meeting.  Yes, unfortunately, this does seem to be an "easy" cost saving measure that administrators can take and you are far from alone.  It is so unfortunate when we watch the news and see book challenges etc., that have an impact on our most vulnerable students.  Often times the librarian is the person in the building who knows about these students and who has cultivated relationships with them.  The library is where they feel safest.  If they think getting rid of a librarian position will not be noticed, they are sadly mistaken.

Pam Strom,
New Trier High School
________________________________
From: AISLE <aisle-bounces at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:aisle-bounces at list.railslibraries.info>> on behalf of Christie C via AISLE <aisle at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:aisle at list.railslibraries.info>>
Sent: Wednesday, April 6, 2022 7:38 AM
To: AISLE-Share: Association of Illinois School Library Educators discussion list <aisle at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:aisle at list.railslibraries.info>>
Cc: Christie C <christiechandlerstahl at gmail.com<mailto:christiechandlerstahl at gmail.com>>
Subject: Re: [aisle] Elimination of Full-Time Librarian In Our Two-School District

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Karrie,
I am stunned to read this. You have done so much to transform your school’s library and to bring such high quality lessons and lit discussions to the students. I’m glad this group has provided you with some great advocacy tools. I wish you all the best as you go forward.
Am thinking of you.
Sincerely,
Christie

Christie Chandler-Stahl
Resource Center Director
Greeley School - Winnetka District #36
Christiechandler at winnetka36.org<mailto:Christiechandler at winnetka36.org>

On Mon, Apr 4, 2022 at 11:20 AM Karrie Fisher via AISLE <aisle at list.railslibraries.info<mailto:aisle at list.railslibraries.info>> wrote:
I am a full-time librarian in District 31, Glenview, a two-school district.  I am in the K-5 building.  We have a full-time librarian in our middle school. We are a suburb located north of Chicago.

We were told that next year library classes will no longer be part of the schedule, and we will have ONE full-time librarian and one full-time assistant for both buildings.  The librarian (our MS librarian) will travel between the two buildings, as will the assistant.

The eliminated librarian -- me (K-5) -- will be reassigned to a classroom teacher position.

To fight for our students and our library programs, we are gathering information and research that we will present to our superintendent, principals, and BOE.  I know this has happened in other school districts.  Does anyone have any specific research or antidotes that we could share?  Has anyone successfully fought for their full-time librarians, students, and programs, and gotten a decision reversed?

Any help we can get will be greatly appreciated by us!  Our BOE meeting is April 19.

Happily Ever After,
Karrie Fisher, Library Media Specialist
[Bitmoji Image]
Winkelman Library Resources: Click HERE<http://district31.follettdestiny.com/> for the Card Catalog!

Winkelman School * 1919 Landwehr Road * <https://www.google.com/maps/search/919+Landwehr+Road+*%C2%A0+Glenview,+IL%C2%A0+60026?entry=gmail&source=g> Glenview, IL  60026<https://www.google.com/maps/search/919+Landwehr+Road+*%C2%A0+Glenview,+IL%C2%A0+60026?entry=gmail&source=g>
847-729-5650 * Fax 847-729-5654
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