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Shirley Fitzgibbons responds As a retired faculty member of a library (and information) school, I find this to be so disturbing especially in a rich public library system. It goes back to a time when the public library served schools. Also every state has different certification requirements. Also, there are two different accrediting agencies though ALA does work with the school group. Recently, in my town during drastic school corporation cutbacks, the first cut was to eliminate school librarians except in one high school library. The outcry from an informed citizenry and due to excellent school library media specialist (angry, town hall type forums) that parent groups supported, school librarians were reinstated but for only 1 year. Several months later, during a public referendum, we increased the tax rate for support of the schools. It passed after a long campaign with flying colors (even though several Republicans waged a campaign against it. These school librarians had masters degrees in library science plus of course many education credits to qualify for these positions; students really came out to support them- it was amazing. This could be done in Chicago; these children need literacy which can only be accomplished with good school librarians working with teachers to help the children accomplish their goals; to learn to read and love reading, plus an adequate supply of new books each year. Remember when Ann Weeks was the school media coordinator of Chicago...what was accomplished at that time? Quoting Daniel Stuhlman <[log in to unmask]>: > At 04:58 PM 11/11/2010, you wrote: >> Yes and it has been bothering me since before I went to library >> school. There seems to be an inherent anti-library bias on the part >> of school boards and local politicians. My guess is that they don't >> see librarians as any kind of teacher; they are enamored of any >> technology they can get (as eliminating more of those pesky people >> who want pay increases, etc.); and possibly see little value to any >> kind of library. I agree it bothers me, too. > > I live in Chicago and read this story when it was first published on > Oct 26. I made the following comment on the Tribune's web site. > > School librarians need an endorsement to be a certified librarian. > They can get this endorsement in a post-graduate certificate program. > The do not need a masters degree. Most public library librarians > need at least one masters degree. Academic librarians can get > started with one masters degree, but usually earn a second. I teach > library school classes and I can assure you that to earn a masters > degree requires a rigorous course of study. The difference between > what a potential school librarian and a potential academic librarian > learns is at most two courses. Most librarians can easily learn how > to be a good librarian in another type of library. Most > non-librarian faculty members do not have the understanding of > information gathering and distribution to properly guide students. > Trained librarians are needed for the success of students and faculty. > School libraries tune their collection to the needs of the students > and the school curriculum. Public libraries do not. > ----- > I have visited many CPS school libraries. I have yet to be impressed > with the collections, rooms, or librarians. One library had a roof > leak that prevented books from being stored in 1/4 of the library. > Another had a floor that was a danger to walk on. > > > Daniel Stuhlman > Chicago, IL > ddstuhlman at earthlink.net > > Blog: http://kol-safran.blogspot.com/ Latest entry Nov. 2 > Podcast: http://ddstuhlman.podomatic.com >