GOT BOOKS

GOT BOOKS?

GOT READERS!!

SCHOOLS NEED NEW LIBRARY BOOKS.

by Jack Humphrey

Yes, it’s as simple as that! Having enough books greatly increases the chances of our having readers. But without the books, how can young people read? We have a problem that could yield disastrous consequences. Reading is the foundation of all learning. How can we ignore that? As the popular saying goes, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out the scope of the problem. Let’s look at the hard facts.

State funding for school libraries from the School Library Printed Materials Grant resulted in substantial increases in the number of books purchased and, more importantly, the number of books checked out of those libraries by students. With the demise of the grant program, both book purchases and book circulation numbers declined dramatically.

Circulation of K-8 Indiana school library books in 2002 was an average of 43.1 books per student. In 2006, after the loss of funds from the School Library Printed Materials Grant, the circulation dropped to an average of 32.7 books per student. The difference was 10.4 books per student. Last year there were 724,738 K-8 students. Multiplying 10.4 times 724,738 equals 7,537,275 fewer books circulated in 2006 compared to 2002.

It is obvious that access to current, appealing, high-interest, and useful books in school libraries results in more reading by students.

SCHOOL LIBRARY AVERAGE BOOK CIRCULATION FOR GRADES K-8

YEAR	CIRCULATION PER STUDENT
1997	33.8
1998	37.2
2000	39.0
2002	43.1
2004	40.1
2006	32.7

Schools had to match the state funding when they accepted funds from the School Library Printed Materials Grant. Not wanting to turn down the offer of state funds, school corporations found the funds to provide their part of the money needed to purchase new books. Without the state encouragement, many schools not only lost the state funds but also many lost much of their local support.

School librarians report that:

1. The books purchased this year were from private donations there was no book budget.

2. Our budget has nothing but 0000 at this time!

3. Our book budget was cut to zero last year.

4. No local funds were used for books.

5. About 1/3 of our new books were purchased or acquired through PTO book fairs.

6. We have no PTA to donate funds.

We know without a doubt that independent reading enhances reading comprehension and that independent reading accounts for one-third or more of a student’s vocabulary growth. We know that students need to learn reading skills and then practice them; we cannot separate one from the other.

We absolutely have to face the fact that we have an enormous problem, and we have to find a way to solve it to ensure that school libraries have the support needed to purchase two new books per student each year.

Let's find the solution!