Things We Think About At Work.

[silveradept]

Here's another random thought that waltzed into my head, gave me the finger, and then proceeded to Mosh Mosh Revolution out.

What's going on with school libraries? Their media specialists are being laid off, and it feels like the public library's collection is being relied on as an essential resource for completing assignments. Have schools decided that in the era of standardized testing that having a library is unimportant? Are school libraries being grouped with arts programs as the first things to go on the chopping block in case of budget cuts? (And in those places, what kind of favored status do the athletic programs have?)

Obviously, I'm biased when it comes to how important libraries are in public and school life. I'm just wondering if anything has changed in education thinking that diminishes the role and value of the school library. It would be a shame, because the library and research skills developed there will be way important in college or in life.

Comments

[tscheese.livejournal.com]

My school library was tiny and hopelessly out of date. It couldn't have even lined the walls of a small classroom. I did go to a very tiny private school in the middle of nowhere, and it simply didn't have the budget for anything else.

And yes, the athletic programs were mercilessly favored. The school flooded out when I was in 9th grade (no one was hurt and everything of value was removed well beforehand.) The new building cost over $4 million to build, with an enormous hardwood gymnasium that was twice the size of the old one. The library? Still the same size.

It's kind of ironic because our school was absolutely awful at sports. We only had one sport: basketball. No football, no wrestling, and only a brief track season. But we consistently swept the awards at state competitions in drama, music, science, and business.

[silveradept]

Well, I can understand not having the budget as a tiny private school, if the athletics and academic programs were similarly small-budgeted. This does not appear to have been the case, and so I really have to wonder where the priorities of the school are that they sink all that money into athletics, even with evidence that other areas are doing really well and could use funding, or are doing really poorly and need funding.