[aisle] Are there still middle school libraries?
Brian Andrusyk
bandrusyk at iccatholicprep.org
Thu Aug 25 08:17:36 CDT 2022
VIRGINIA, your little principal is wrong. She has been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. She does not believe except she sees. She thinks that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by his little mind. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, VIRGINIA, there are middle school libraries. They exist as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no middle school libraries. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Brian Andrusyk, MLIS | School Librarian & Book Store Manager
ICCP | IC Catholic Prep | www.iccatholicprep.org<http://www.iccatholicprep.org/>
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From: AISLE <aisle-bounces at list.railslibraries.info> On Behalf Of Jamie Winchell via AISLE
Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2022 8:07 AM
To: AISLE-Share: Association of Illinois School Library Educators discussion list <aisle at list.railslibraries.info>
Cc: Jamie Winchell <jwinchell at op97.org>
Subject: Re: [aisle] Are there still middle school libraries?
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<mailto: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
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"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<mailto: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<mailto: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<mailto: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:
[Amazon.com: The Shattered Castle (The Ascendance Series, Book 5) (5) (Ascendance Trilogy): 9781338275902: Nielsen, Jennifer A.: Books] [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<mailto:srudenga at sd161.org>
On Wed, Aug 24, 2022 at 9:35 AM Erin Wengerhoff via AISLE <aisle at list.railslibraries.info<mailto: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<mailto: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<mailto: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<mailto: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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