Where Have All the School Librarians Gone?

More than 50 years of research across more than 60 studies show that students with access to well-resourced school libraries with certified librarians consistently perform better academically.

Of course, this should mean these libraries receive all the funding they need, right?

Surprisingly (and unfortunately), this isn’t often the case.

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Today, less than 30% of schools have school librarians.

Even more alarming is that many school libraries are not receiving budget increases and are actually receiving budget cuts. 

Many school librarians are being laid off, reduced to part-time hours, or split across multiple campuses. 

Please email your representatives and ask them to support school libraries in the United States.

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The Consequences

Well-funded library programs are strongly associated with better student learning outcomes; therefore, cutting library budgets would logically decrease those outcomes. 

Part of the appeal of libraries is that they allow students to learn on their own terms. While some students dislike school, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t like to learn.

Many students struggle to motivate themselves to learn what schools say they need to learn. However, if they can learn on their own terms via the library, they’ll naturally pick up those school-required concepts along the way.

We need your help to reach more Americans who care, right now!

Every $10 we raise helps us reach 1,000 more Americans about school libraries.

Cutting library funding removes students’ opportunities to learn in this way, thereby decreasing their overall drive to learn.

If we want the next generation to grow into creatives, thinkers, and leaders, we must nurture their desire to learn.

Without access to school libraries, this becomes infinitely more difficult.