Here’s some more evidence that school librarians are essential to student learning: researchers at Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies (iSchool) have found that students who attend New York schools with certified media specialists have higher scores on their fourth grade English Language Arts (ELA) test. The tests showed an almost 10-point difference in the ELA test scores of fourth graders whose schools had certified librarians.
“We believe these findings are important to consider, not only because of the higher ELA test scores,” says Small, who directs the school library media program at the iSchool. “Although we’re still analyzing the data, our preliminary results show that certified librarians are also more likely to provide students with materials that present more diverse points of view and that better support the curriculum than noncertified librarians.”
There are currently 568,924 K-12 students in the state without access to a certified librarian.
The researchers are currently analyzing the specific information gathered from surveys and focus groups involving school librarians, students, principals, and teachers from 48 elementary, middle, and high schools across New York State. Small hopes to better understand the impact of certified librarians on motivating students to learn, influencing the adoption and use of technology, and servicing students with disabilities and special needs.
“This study confirms the direct impact of certified school librarians on the educational success of our children. That is why I am sponsoring legislation (S.1686) to ensure that every school in the state has a library and a school librarian,” says State Senator HughT. Farley, Chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Libraries.
New York Governor Elliott Spitzer, in his proposed 2008-09 Executive Budget, left out $5 million in funding for libraries and held School Library Materials Aid at $6.25 per pupil despite proposing a $1.4 billion increase in school aid.
The research, which is being funded by the Institute for Museum and Library Studies, included survey responses from 1,612 schools in New York City and other cities such as Syracuse, Buffalo, and Rochester. A copy of the preliminary report can be found online.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Friday, February 08, 2008
Federal Court: No Parent Notification on Gay-Themed Books OK
A federal appeals court in Massachusetts has ruled that an elementary school may use children's books that encourage tolerance for gays without notifying caretakers in advance.
The parents of three children in Lexington, MA, had argued that such notification was justified under the U.S. Constitution's Free Exercise Clause and their parental and privacy due-process rights.
At issue were the books King and King by Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland; Who's in a Family? by Robert Skutch and Laura Nienhaus; and Molly's Family by Nancy Garden and Sharon Wooding.
Two couples, David and Tonia Parker, and Joseph and Robin Wirthlin, who have children attending Estabrook Elementary School, argued in U.S. District Court that their families' religious views had been undercut. Their objection centered on the lack of notification, not the issue of using the books as part of a nondiscrimination curriculum.
The court's Jan. 31 decision in Parker v. Hurley rejected the notification argument, finding no precedent for a constitutional right to exempt children in public schools from exposure to books about gays. "There is no free-exercise right to be free from any reference in public elementary schools to the existence of families in which the parents are of different gender combinations," the court wrote.
Sarah Wunsch, staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, which filed an amicus brief in the case, said in various interviews that school administrators and teachers might "take heart from the decision and not be afraid in the future to use materials showing diverse families."
The parents of three children in Lexington, MA, had argued that such notification was justified under the U.S. Constitution's Free Exercise Clause and their parental and privacy due-process rights.
At issue were the books King and King by Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland; Who's in a Family? by Robert Skutch and Laura Nienhaus; and Molly's Family by Nancy Garden and Sharon Wooding.
Two couples, David and Tonia Parker, and Joseph and Robin Wirthlin, who have children attending Estabrook Elementary School, argued in U.S. District Court that their families' religious views had been undercut. Their objection centered on the lack of notification, not the issue of using the books as part of a nondiscrimination curriculum.
The court's Jan. 31 decision in Parker v. Hurley rejected the notification argument, finding no precedent for a constitutional right to exempt children in public schools from exposure to books about gays. "There is no free-exercise right to be free from any reference in public elementary schools to the existence of families in which the parents are of different gender combinations," the court wrote.
Sarah Wunsch, staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, which filed an amicus brief in the case, said in various interviews that school administrators and teachers might "take heart from the decision and not be afraid in the future to use materials showing diverse families."
Bush Freezes School Library Funding
President Bush’s farewell message to school libraries was very clear this year: no extra money for you. In his just-released 2009 budget, Bush proposed a funding hike for public libraries through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA)—but he kept monies for the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program at $19.1 million, the same level as 2008.
“We’re very disappointed in [Bush’s] decision, and we’re trying to work hard at the grassroots level to get that figure raised,” says Melanie Anderson, the American Library Association’s (ALA) assistant director of the Office of Government Relations.
Anderson doesn’t expect Congress to approve the President’s budget before the 2009 fiscal year, which begins on October 1—and that means ALA will be working hard between now and then to convince members of the House and Senate appropriations committees about the importance of school libraries, says Anderson.
Although the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program was authorized at $250 million in 2001, funding has never been appropriated at that level. Ideally, ALA would like to see the program funded at $100 million, which would transform it from a competitive grant to one in which each state department of education would allocate funds to individual districts as needed, Anderson says.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, the federal program provides funding to public school libraries to update collections, expand Internet connections, buy new technology, provide professional development for media specialists, and extend library hours. The program was funded at $19.5 million in FY 2006 and 2007, slightly more than its current level.
Meanwhile, libraries across the country can expect another year of generous funding, thanks to a proposed 2009 increase in LSTA monies by President Bush.
The news—which comes at a time when domestic discretionary spending is severely restricted and funding for 151 programs is being cut or eliminated—will mean that many libraries across the country can continue providing key programs and services to their communities, such as bookmobiles and public access to the Internet.
“We’re very disappointed in [Bush’s] decision, and we’re trying to work hard at the grassroots level to get that figure raised,” says Melanie Anderson, the American Library Association’s (ALA) assistant director of the Office of Government Relations.
Anderson doesn’t expect Congress to approve the President’s budget before the 2009 fiscal year, which begins on October 1—and that means ALA will be working hard between now and then to convince members of the House and Senate appropriations committees about the importance of school libraries, says Anderson.
Although the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program was authorized at $250 million in 2001, funding has never been appropriated at that level. Ideally, ALA would like to see the program funded at $100 million, which would transform it from a competitive grant to one in which each state department of education would allocate funds to individual districts as needed, Anderson says.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, the federal program provides funding to public school libraries to update collections, expand Internet connections, buy new technology, provide professional development for media specialists, and extend library hours. The program was funded at $19.5 million in FY 2006 and 2007, slightly more than its current level.
Meanwhile, libraries across the country can expect another year of generous funding, thanks to a proposed 2009 increase in LSTA monies by President Bush.
The news—which comes at a time when domestic discretionary spending is severely restricted and funding for 151 programs is being cut or eliminated—will mean that many libraries across the country can continue providing key programs and services to their communities, such as bookmobiles and public access to the Internet.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
IMC Story Time for February Rescheduled
The IMC story time session reguarly scheduled for Wednesday, February 27 has been rescheduled and will instead be held on Tuesday, February 19th. For more information contact Kati at tvaruzke@uwec.edu.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Celebrate ALA 2008 Winners
To help everyone celebrate the recently announced ALA Awards (Newbery, Caldecott, Coretta Scott King and others), Teachingbooks.net is offering free access to original short movies and readings by the award winners. The selected interviews, discussion guides, book readings and audio files help readers relate to the authors and award-winning books in memorable, personal ways.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Simon and Schuster Launches YA Author Blogfest
About 100 young adult authors will be ready and waiting for young readers' questions as part of a two-week "Pulse Blogfest" taking place March 14–27.
Sponsored by Simon & Schuster, the blogfest will feature Scott Westerfeld, author of the "Uglies" series; Kate Brian, author of the "Private" series; Ellen Hopkins, author of the novels Glass (2007) and Burned (2006); and Holly Black, author of the teen novels Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale (2002) and Ironside: A Modern Faery's Tale (2007), and coauthor of the middle-school series Spiderwick Chronicles.
Each of the 14 days will be devoted to a separate question addressed to all authors—queries along the lines of how they got into writing, where they seek inspiration, and whether their stories come from real life.
The blogfest, which Simon & Shuster describes as a first, is being promoted to librarians and other educators through the publisher's newsletter and website.
Source: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6527154.html?nid=2413
Sponsored by Simon & Schuster, the blogfest will feature Scott Westerfeld, author of the "Uglies" series; Kate Brian, author of the "Private" series; Ellen Hopkins, author of the novels Glass (2007) and Burned (2006); and Holly Black, author of the teen novels Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale (2002) and Ironside: A Modern Faery's Tale (2007), and coauthor of the middle-school series Spiderwick Chronicles.
Each of the 14 days will be devoted to a separate question addressed to all authors—queries along the lines of how they got into writing, where they seek inspiration, and whether their stories come from real life.
The blogfest, which Simon & Shuster describes as a first, is being promoted to librarians and other educators through the publisher's newsletter and website.
Source: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6527154.html?nid=2413
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