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dear friends,
my plea for help was answered by many of you, with words of support, web =
sites, journal references, and wonderful philosphical arguments about the =
need for librarians.  i put together a packet of research appended to my =
curriculum, along with a discussion of which parts of my job would not be =
done if the library were turned over to two aides and occasional visits by =
the high school librarian, which is the proposal made by my principal.  i =
gave him a copy of this packet, and with the high school librarian, =
presented it to our superintendent.  i circulated it among the faculty, =
who then sent it on to board members.  the position is on the agenda for =
the next board meeting, and my principal mentioned that he is interviewing =
2 candidates for the position on monday.  he said that the decision to =
fill my position rests on whether he can find  a =93qualified candidate=94 =
 (shouldn=92t be too tough, since last week a high school education =
wasn=92t even required for the aides to take over for me).

anyway, for those of you in similar circumstances of having a librarian =
position cut in your district, here is my HIT:

1.  http://www.ala.aast/SLMR/select_curry.html
article from SLMQ, vol. 22, number 3 , spring 1994, =93the impact of =
school library media centers on academic achievement=94  by keith curry =
lance

this is the =93colorado study=94 which is the major argument for our =
existence, and prints out well.

2.  Read Steven Krashen "The Power of Reading."  It contains much =
documentation to support the value of a school library and literacy of =
students.  =


3.   With "standards mania" running rampant throughout the nation, it's =
nice to have some reasons why other forms of judging educational =
effectiveness are important. There's an excellent and important article in =
this month's (March 99) Educational Leadership on "Why Standardized Tests =
Don't Measure Educational Quality."  The full text is also at: <http://www.=
ascd.org/pubs/el/mar99/extpopham.html> =

4.  Check the website of the Library Research Service based here at the CO =
State Library.  There are pointers to several such items, including the =
most comprehensive, the so-called "Impact Study" of libraries on student
achievement.  It can be found at http://www.lrs.org.

There, go into the 'school library' link, and into the information on the
Impact study. If your contacts bawk at the date it was completed, let them =
know we are in the process of compiling current data from CO, AK, and PA =
which will be ready this fall. Also check out the Fast Facts link for
school-related items, especially including #141, which looked at links
between our state student 4th grade reading scores and library programs.
Also there is #126 from 1997 that compared 11 western states to national =
data available.  It shows such things as highs and lows in staffing and =
budget, etc.  Kansas is included in those compared.

5. If you want evidence, look at what California did, the results, and is =
now trying to repair! We were once the envy of the nation in education, =
but duing our recession, libraries (resource budgets and personnel) were =
cut to the bare minimums in most schools. As far as student reading skills =
go, we are now at the bottom of the barrel (49th out of 50, if my memory =
is correct) and the majority of our college-bound seniors need remedial =
classes in English and math. . .  I have been consulted by another school =
in my district which closed its library several years ago. The collection =
was boxed when the room needed to be utilized for classroom space. Now new =
funding is available to restablish the library and a new principal is =
pushing for that to happen - but, what a mess the old library was! The =
collection was pathetic - most was so old it needed to be discarded - wasn'=
t worth barcoding! But what to reorder? Since everything was in boxes, it =
was hard to really evaluate what was "missing."  Much easier when the =
items are shelved in proper order and you can compare to a good catalog sou=
rce in Dewey order and compare. I didn't take the consulting job, but the =
person who did (a retired credentialed librarian) called me and consulted =
me frequently about the confusing automation questions listed in the =
vendor catalogs (processing questions)! She was greatly relieved when she =
completed her task!   Unfortunately, most people don't realize what they'=
re missing when they eliminate a good library program. They only see (and =
wonder at) the disasterous results as the years go by - the kids can't =
read, don't want to read, can't do proper research, etc. Yes, I'm =
simplifying things a bit, but the reality is that students who learn to =
love to read (and a good library is essential) generally excell at the =
rest of their studies, and in many other related life-skills. If you can't =
read, you can't follow directions to do anything else!  I hope this gives =
you some fuel for your fight!  =


Thanks to all of you.  I=92m hoping for the best as I head to the Beekman =
Elementary School in Poughquag, NY.

Kathy Adin, LMS
Wellsville Elementary School
Wellsville KS
Kathy.Adin@usd289.k12.ks.us =

"Wherever you go, there you are."  Buckaroo Banzai

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