[aisle] Are there still middle school libraries?

Thu Aug 25 08:06:45 CDT 2022

Oak Park District 97 has two thriving middle school libraries. We are on
flexible schedules and service the entire school.

On Thu, Aug 25, 2022 at 7:35 AM Kathleen Drews via AISLE <
aisle at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:

> Sorry for the long post, but I have been reflecting on my 21 years in my
> district and all the changes that have happened. Currently, the junior high
> libraries in my district (we have 2) are run on a day-to-day basis by full
> time aides with me in a supervisory position, along with running two
> intermediate (grades 4-6) buildings. When I started in the district I was
> the full time librarian with a full time aide in one junior high and we had
> the same in our other junior high. Over the course of the years it went
> like this:
> -Full time aides and full time librarians
> -Full time aides, full time librarians also teaching 3-4 classes
> -One librarian (me, the other retired) for both with two aides
> -One librarian (me) at one school, one aide at the other. (I would visit
> the other when I had time)
> -One librarian (not me - moved to grades 4-6) and two aides - librarian
> taught 2-3 classes at each building along with running two libraries
> -PANDEMIC! Librarian and one aide retired - libraries closed and other
> aide given a variety of jobs. (I taught 5th grade ELA that year)
> -Current (as of last year) - two aides and me - I only help with book
> orders and inventory along with running two 4-6 grade buildings.
> I don't think they will close our JH libraries, at least before I retire
> in about 5ish years. But who knows? I pray that doesn't happen.
>
> Have a great year everyone!
> Kathy
>
> Kathleen Drews
> Librarian
> Nelson Ridge and Caroline Bentley Schools
> Liberty and Martino Junior High Schools
> New Lenox School District 122
> New Lenox, IL
>
> "Be kind whenever possible. It is ALWAYS possible."
> -
> *Dalai Lama*
>
>
>
> On Thu, Aug 25, 2022 at 6:26 AM Lester, Kathy via AISLE <
> aisle at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:
>
>> Dear Stephanie & School Library Colleagues,
>> I hope you don't mind me jumping into this conversation.
>>
>> I am at a middle school in Michigan that has a thriving school library.
>> Last year -- a different, smaller district in Michigan closed its Middle
>> School Library.
>> This was devastating and I believe this denies the students at that
>> school equitable access to all of the resources and services that a school
>> library staffed by a school librarian provides.
>> Early in the school year (2021-2022), I wrote up this
>> <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yQyJSaDUTTIQEOI_5mXoyTCNMa_JnaI6UKAf6Acve-Q/edit?usp=sharing>
>> article comparing the two schools and what the difference looks like for
>> students.  It includes visuals that help others to 'see' this difference.
>> Classroom libraries are *not* the same as school libraries in terms of
>> providing equitable access, a broad selection of diverse materials, and
>> instruction in the use of resources, information literacy, and digital
>> citizenship.  While it may seem like a good idea in the short term, how
>> will they keep those classroom libraries updated in the future to provide
>> up-to-date interesting materials to keep students reading?  It will
>> actually cost *more* to keep those classroom libraries updated and
>> vibrant than to update the school library... and if they are planning to
>> just let the classroom libraries languish... that is so wrong in terms of
>> best practices for what is right for students and their reading achievement
>> in middle school.
>>
>> Here is an ALA Infographic about school libraries:
>>
>> https://ilovelibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/students-reach-greater-heights-with-school-librarians-7.pdf
>>
>> Here is an International Literacy Association Brief about the necessary
>> leadership role of school librarians:
>>
>> https://www.literacyworldwide.org/docs/default-source/where-we-stand/the-essential-leadership-of-school-librarians.pdf
>>
>> Here is an Education Week piece with a section "Can Classroom Libraries
>> Replace School Libraries?" -- the answer is 'no'.
>>
>> https://www.edweek.org/leadership/opinion-why-school-librarians-are-the-literacy-leaders-we-need/2018/05
>>
>> The book *Game Changer! Book Access for All Kids* by Donalyn Miller &
>> Colby Sharp does promote classroom libraries; but, it also has a chapter
>> dedicated to school libraries titled:
>> "School Libraries and Librarians: The Right of Every Child."  I have
>> given this book as a gift to a few administrators who were leaning toward
>> classroom libraries -- the copy that I gave them had small sticky 'tags'
>> highlighting mentions of the importance of school libraries in the book.
>>
>> Please let me know if I (or AASL) can help in any way.
>>
>> All my best,
>> --Kathy Lester
>>
>>
>> Kathy Lester, MLIS, MA
>> *Advocacy Co-Chair, Past-President 2014, *
>> Michigan Association for Media in Education (MAME)
>> *President, 2022-2023*
>> American Association of School Librarians (AASL)
>> *Councilor At Large*
>> American Library Association (ALA)
>> *School Library Media Specialist / Technology Coach, *
>> *East Middle School, Plymouth-Canton Schools*
>> *SL21 Model Library, 2017-2018*
>> *SL21 Exemplary Ranking - Michigan School Libraries for the 21st Century
>> 2019-2022*
>> *ISTE Making IT Happen Award Winner*
>> *2017 MAME Michigan School Library Program of the Year*
>> *2012 **State Librarian's Excellence Award Winner*
>> kathyL at mimame.org
>> twitter: @LibraryL <https://twitter.com/LibraryL>
>>
>> "Every school librarian is a leader; every learner has a school librarian"
>> --American Association of School Librarians
>> <http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/advocacy/tools/docs/AASL_Position_Statement_Effective_SLP_2018.pdf>
>>  (AASL)
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Aug 24, 2022 at 12:06 PM Sarah R via AISLE <
>> aisle at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:
>>
>>> I'm a junior high school (grades 6-8) and while there are times I am
>>> shut down for testing, a majority of the time I'm open with a flexible
>>> schedule and many students and classes coming in for research lessons,
>>> media center lessons, book club, and checkout!
>>> Sarah
>>>
>>> Currently Reading:                                         Currently
>>> Listening To:
>>>   [image: Amazon.com: The Shattered Castle (The Ascendance Series, Book
>>> 5) (5) (Ascendance Trilogy): 9781338275902: Nielsen, Jennifer A.: Books]
>>>                                   [image: Shinji Takahashi and the Mark
>>> of the Coatl (The Society of Explorers and Adventurers): Kagawa, Julie:
>>> 9781368068192: Amazon.com: Books]
>>>
>>> Sarah Rudenga
>>> Media Center Coordinator
>>> Parker Junior High School
>>> Flossmoor, IL
>>> srudenga at sd161.org
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wed, Aug 24, 2022 at 9:35 AM Erin Wengerhoff via AISLE <
>>> aisle at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:
>>>
>>>> My schedule is completely flexible - I let ELA teachers sign up for
>>>> times to come in twice a month. What questions do you have?
>>>>
>>>> Erin
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> *Erin Wengerhoff**MS Ed. EA, MS **LIS *
>>>> Pronouns: She/Her *Why list pronouns?*
>>>> <https://www.mypronouns.org/sharing/>
>>>> Library Media Specialist
>>>> Algonquin Middle School
>>>> 767 E. Algonquin Road
>>>> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/767+E.+Algonquin+Road+Des+Plaines,+IL+60016?entry=gmail&source=g>
>>>> Des Plaines, IL 60016
>>>> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/767+E.+Algonquin+Road+Des+Plaines,+IL+60016?entry=gmail&source=g>
>>>> 847-789-5601
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Wed, Aug 24, 2022 at 9:04 AM Dawn Bik via AISLE <
>>>> aisle at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Erin,
>>>>>
>>>>> I would love to know what your schedule looks like seeing classes
>>>>> twice a week, and talk more.  I have a few questions.
>>>>>
>>>>> On Wed, Aug 24, 2022 at 8:42 AM Erin Wengerhoff via AISLE <
>>>>> aisle at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> I have been a middle school librarian for the past 13 years, in Des
>>>>>> Plaines 62 School District. We still have libraries in ALL of our schools -
>>>>>> elementaries and middle school and they are all run by certified Library
>>>>>> Media Specialists.  I see ELA classes twice a month for book checkout and
>>>>>> lessons.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hope your principal can see the value of having a school library!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Erin
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> *Erin Wengerhoff**MS Ed. EA, MS **LIS *
>>>>>> Pronouns: She/Her *Why list pronouns?*
>>>>>> <https://www.mypronouns.org/sharing/>
>>>>>> Library Media Specialist
>>>>>> Algonquin Middle School
>>>>>> 767 E. Algonquin Road
>>>>>> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/767+E.+Algonquin+Road+Des+Plaines,+IL+60016?entry=gmail&source=g>
>>>>>> Des Plaines, IL 60016
>>>>>> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/767+E.+Algonquin+Road+Des+Plaines,+IL+60016?entry=gmail&source=g>
>>>>>> 847-789-5601
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Tue, Aug 23, 2022 at 3:46 PM Kleckner, Stephanie via AISLE <
>>>>>> aisle at list.railslibraries.info> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hi friends!
>>>>>>> I was told that this is highly likely the last year for our middle
>>>>>>> school library. My principal said that she needs the space and wants to
>>>>>>> turn it into 2 classrooms. She said she asked around our area and a lot of
>>>>>>> middle schools don't have "library time" anymore. She also stated that they
>>>>>>> would divide all the library books between the classrooms and encourage
>>>>>>> students to go to the public library. So, are middle school libraries still
>>>>>>> a thing? How many of you have thriving middle school libraries?
>>>>>>> Thanks!
>>>>>>> Stephanie Kleckner
>>>>>>> Library Media Teacher
>>>>>>> Mendota Dist. #289
>>>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> *Dawn Bik *
>>>>> *Media Coordinator*
>>>>> *Grissom Middle School*
>>>>> *17000 S. 80th Avenue
>>>>> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/17000+S.+80th+Avenue+Tinley+Park,+IL+60477?entry=gmail&source=g>*
>>>>> *Tinley Park, IL 60477
>>>>> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/17000+S.+80th+Avenue+Tinley+Park,+IL+60477?entry=gmail&source=g>*
>>>>> *(708)429-3030 ext. 9508*
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
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-- 
Teacher Librarian
Percy Julian Middle School
pronouns: she/hers

'At least books belonged to me." -Rebecca Solnit
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