GEN: Library Funding Equity

[Rachel Carlson <aixoise@NETCOM.COM>]

In our high school district (in southern California), we have grave
equity problems in the funding of the 6 comprehensive h.s. libraries.
The alternative school library is essentially a nice room with no books
(well, a few--).

Three of these schools fund their libraries well, as they have abundant
categorical monies--and the philosophy that the library is an important
academic center.  Three of the schools have very limited budgets and
virtually no categoricals; they hardly fund their libraries. The amounts
of regular school funding range from $460 to $3100.  Needless to say, the
school that gets the $3100 also gets the most money from categoricals, as
well.

Now we have been told that the supt. and his cabinet would be receptive
to a plan to fund all site libraries more equitably.  This could mean a
dollar amount per student, a percentage of the operating funds, or some
other method.

Before we begin to shape a proposal, I would like to know what guidelines
other states/districts/sites use to determine funding for school
libraries.  Any online sites you can point me to or any information, no
matter how brief, that you can provide will be most appreciated.

Please e-mail me directly with ideas or info.  Anyone wishing a
compilation of the results can do the same and I'll send along what I
receive (or post a hit).

Thanks in advance.

Rachel Carlson
Huntington Beach (CA) Union H.S. District
aixoise@netcom.com