THE CRISIS IN SCHOOL LIBRARIES
Ontario's students speak out! Watch their stories about why their
school library matters
Recent Issues - School Libraries
- Ontario students who “like to read” in decline; teacher-librarians encourage a love of reading.
- Continuing Crisis in School Libraries: Canada is in the midst of an educational crisis with the continual erosion of school library programs. December
6, 2011, more than 60 educators, authors, publishers, librarians and
parents gathered at Hart House, University of Toronto, to discuss. For
more information ead the Article: The Crisis in School Libraries.
- In April 2011, the Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board decided
to lay off 39 library staff and disburse the library collections to
classrooms. The decision has essentially eliminated the school library
program in that school board. The reason given was budget cuts due to
declining enrollment. The decision caused students and parents to
protest and sparked extensive media coverage.
Review the media coverage
Reading engagement and educational achievement are directly tied to a
robust school library program. One that includes teacher-librarians,
library technicians, library coordinators and consultants and current,
relevant and well-tended e-resource and book collections.
Review the facts:
People for Education Fact Sheet 2011:
School Libraries and Information Literacy
Ontario School Library Association (OSLA)
Fact Sheet 2011
OLA's/OSLA's
Letter to Leona Dombrowsky, Minister of Education
What can you do?
The quality of a students’ education will have an impact on the future
of Ontario. We need to ensure our students have the best possible
education – this includes a well-resourced school library program.
The good news
- OSLA's Together for Learning has been embraced by many OSLA and
TALCO members as a way to re-invent the school library for the 21st
century – these schools are thinking strategically about how they can
empower the school library, both physically and virtually, as a
collaborator with students, teachers, and library staff. Read Together for Learning
- the media attention is causing school boards to seriously think about school library programs
Contacts:
OSLA President
Shelagh Paterson, Executive Director, OLA
spaterson@accessola.com