Was the DCSB's decision to cut librarians a mistake?

By Lauren Barack

An effective school library impacts more than student achievement—it also lifts a school's entire educational climate, says a recent two-phase study by Rutgers University's Center for International Scholarship in School Libraries (CISSL) on behalf of the New Jersey Association of School Librarians (NJASL).

Researchers note that effective school libraries reflect strong cooperation, collaboration, and communication among classroom teachers, administrators and school librarians.

"Collaboration is really the key with an effective school library," says Pat Massey, a former NJASL president and the high school library media specialist at South Plainfield High School in New Jersey.

Studies, such as the recent findings from the Library Research Services study in Colorado, have shown that school libraries can help raise literacy and reading scores in students. The CISSL report couldn't have come at a better time, especially with President Obama's recent proposal to cut school library funding for FY 2013.

Massey notes that most administrators don't know what an effective school library program looks like, and therefore don't understand how they can improve academic achievement.

"Perhaps they didn't have a school library or they had a room where someone read a story or checked out books," she says. "But there were no lessons and nothing that connected to curriculum."

NJASL recently offered their members suggestions on how to strengthen their own programs. A good starting point, Massey says, is building a working relationship with administrators and developing good communication skills. Linking classroom teachers to the web can spark more than higher reading scores—it can also develop a school environment where all educators work in tandem to support each other and ultimately the students.

"You have to have a budget, support from administrators, and cooperation with classroom teachers," says Massey. "Then it all connects with school libraries-a very cost-effective and essential piece of educating our students."

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/home/894352-312/study_effective_school_libraries_impact.html.csp