Monday, November 9, 2009

Help support school libraries

Deb Lund sent along a plea and I will be coordinating replies. If you care about school libraries, read on:

I don't know if you've heard that the Bellevue School District eliminated all the middle school and high school library positions last May. This year, there is no instruction in Information Literacy Skills that occurs after the 4th grade in Bellevue. The remaining librarians are hoping to shine a light on this issue in any way possible. One of the elementary librarians, Kristine McLane, discussed this issue with the authors Brandon Mull and Michael Buckley at the WLMA conference. Each of them wrote a statement on the situation. We would like to collect more statements on the importance of libraries and librarians particularly at the secondary level from writers from our region.

I believe you are a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. I'm hoping you would write a statement for us and, if it's not too much to ask, that you would ask other members of the society to write a statement too. I'm not sure what exactly we are going to do with these statements, but I do know that we will share them with the school board, superintendent, and principals.


Anyone who has time to write a statement in support of librarians for students at this grade level can send it to martha AT marthabee.com. Please use "library support" as a subject line. I will compile these statements and send them back to the librarian. Thank you!

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