by Jack Humphrey
Over 70 reading stakeholders from across the state of
Indiana met on two different occasions to forge a blueprint for building
communities of middle grades readers. These
reading advocates represented many areas of concern, including education, public
and school libraries, public school superintendents, community-based agencies,
parents, businesses, and the Indiana State Department of Education.
Out of the work of this group came the Reading Bill of Rights (Becoming
a Community of Readers: A Blueprint for Indiana, 1995).
The Reading Bill of Rights contains eight points: access to books,
encouragement to value reading, time to read, skilled reading leaders, public
library support, community agency support, family support, and reading role
models.
Placed at the top of the list is access to books.
The correlation between reading achievement and voluntary reading
strongly supports the need to promote and encourage children’s voluntary
reading. Independent reading
accounts for one-third of a student’s vocabulary growth (Center for the Study
of Reading, n.d.). Children who
score at the ninetieth percentile on reading tests read 5 times as much as
children at the fiftieth percentile and 200 times as much as children at the
tenth percentile (Anderson, Fielding, and Wilson, 1988).
In a survey of Indiana schools, new book acquisitions were only about
one-fourth of the recommended number needed to keep collections current.
The average school library had approximately 10,000 books for 500
students. However, only 2,500 of
the books had been purchased during the past ten years, and the average
copyright date of the books was 1969. Schools
spent an average of $7.38 per student for books (Humphrey, 1992; Callison and
Knuth, 1994).
The
lack of funding for new school library books can be compared to the nonprint media that we surround our students with at home, in
the community, and at school. In a
world with new computers, VCRs, TV sets, games, movies, and television
programs and old books, you do not have to guess what is most attractive
to students. We need to provide new
books just as we provide new computers, VCRs, and TVs.
The Indiana Administrative Code, 511 IAC 6.1-5-6 Media Program, states
that each school shall spend at least eight dollars ($8) per student per year
from its 22200 account to maintain its media program (Indiana State Board of
Education; 511 IAC 6.1-5-6; filed Jan. 9, 1989, 11:00 a.m.: 12 IR 1192).
At the time the amount of $8 per student per year was established, the
average cost of a book was less than $9. Now
the average cost of a book is $18.78 (St. Lifer, 2002).
The Indiana General Assembly recognized the importance of updating school
library book collections by appropriating $4 million for K-8 schools during the
1997-1999 school years, $6 million for the 1999-2001 school years, and $6
million for the 2001-2003 school years. Due
to state financial problems, $3 million instead of $6 million was provided in
2001.
The Middle Grades Reading Network sent a survey to all public schools in
March 2002, and a total of 1,240 schools returned surveys. The Indiana Education Policy Center prepared a report
entitled Improving School Libraries and Independent Reading: 1997-2002 Impact
Evaluation of the K-12 School Library Printed Materials Grant (Plucker,
Humphrey, Kearns, and Walter, 2002). A
copy of the 20-page report can be obtained by going to </>.
The 1997 K-8 information was gathered prior to state funding. The average number of books purchased per student increased
from 0.81 in 1997 to 1.14 in 1998 and 1.24 in 2000, but dropped to 1.01 in 2002.
Circulation rose from 33.8 in 1997 to 37.2 in 1998 and 39.0 in 2000, but
slowed to 39.2 in 2002.
The range in the number of books purchased varied widely throughout the
state.
Approximately 850 comments were provided from school librarians. The great majority of the librarians discussed the appeal of
new materials, the increased ability to support school literacy efforts,
positive student outcomes, and the future of the library materials program.
Four distinct categories emerged from the data analysis (the number of
responses for each theme is shown in parentheses):
●
Increase in Ability to Purchase Materials
○ New/Popular
books (225)
○
Replacement of old or worn books/More recent copyright dates (81)
●
Increase in Ability to Support School Reading Programs
○ Use of money to purchase books to support
curriculum or to purchase nonfiction
titles (77)
○
Creation or expansion of reading programs (189)
● Positive
Student Outcomes
○
Increase in book circulation (120)
○
Increase in reading ability and test scores (38)
○
More independent reading (79)
○
Ability to give students feelings of library ownership (64)
●
Future of Library Materials Grant Program
○
Mention of the need for the funds to continue (103)
The
following are the conclusions and policy implications from the Indiana Education
Policy Center report:
1.
State funding for school libraries from 1997-2001 resulted in a
substantial
increase in book purchases and
circulation.
Implication
● The Library
Materials Grant Program had a quick and direct impact on the
availability and quality of materials available to Indiana students,
resulting in greater levels of
circulation and independent reading.
Conclusion
2.
Book purchasing appears to have a cumulative but potentially short-lived
effect on circulation: the reduced level of state funding for school libraries
in 2001-2002 resulted in a decline in book purchasing.
This decline may explain the relatively small increase in circulation
during the most recent school year, 2001-2002.
Implication
● Lack of targeted funding may erode circulation
numbers, eventually impacting reading achievement.
Conclusion
3. The library
materials program appears to be associated with a number of positive student
outcomes, including increased use of library materials, increased student
“ownership” of school libraries, higher levels of independent reading, and
higher reading achievement.
Implication
● Despite the state’s considerable financial
constraints, the role of library materials should be considered in any
comprehensive plan to increase the literacy of Indiana’s students.
Conclusion
4. The range of
books purchased across all K-8 schools during 2002 is large:
some schools purchased no books, while others purchased many books per
student.
Implication
● Were the program to continue, greater resources
should be devoted to program oversight to ensure that the funding is being used
to put books in the hands of Indiana’s students.
References
Anderson,
R. C., L. G. Fielding, and P. T. Wilson. “Growth
in Reading and How Children Spend Their Time Outside of School.”
Reading Research Quarterly, 23:285-304, 1988.
Becoming a Community of Readers: A Blueprint
for Indiana.
Evansville, Ind.:
Callison, D., and R. Knuth.
“The AIME Statewide Survey of School Library Media Centers:
Expenditures and Collections.” Indiana Media Journal, 16(3), 103-162,
1994.
Humphrey, J. A
Study of Reading in Indiana Middle, Junior, and Senior High Schools.
Evansville, Ind.: Middle Grades Reading Network, 1992.
Plucker, J., J. Humphrey, A. Kearns, and C. Walter.
Improving School Libraries and Independent Reading: 1997-2002 Impact
Evaluation of the K-12 School Library Printed Materials Grant.
Bloomington: Indiana Education Policy Center, School of Education,
Indiana University, 20 pp., 2002.
St. Lifer, E. “SLJ’s
Average Book Prices: Enhancing Your Buying Power,” available at <http://slj.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?layout
=averageBooks>, 2002.
Our library
consisted of outdated, ragged books three years ago. Slowly, with the help of the extra funding, we are replacing
old books with new, updated student-
Our students are enjoying the new books that we have
purchased through the School Library Grant Program. Because the books are attractive, readable, and interesting,
they are very appealing. Sometimes
students express amazement that a book can be so cool.
I can’t
begin to tell you how much this grant has helped us—look at our circulation
statistics. Schoolwide we have made
a big push towards recreational reading.
We want our
students to realize that reading can be fun.
We have had one evening after school encouraging parents and children to
read together—it was a huge
Students now
have newer, more popular books. They
want to read what is “in,” not books published ten years ago!
Our students
exhibit an increased interest in our collection when they see new books on
display about topics they want to read about.
I put some of the new books on display this week, and some of them have
already been checked out twice.
These funds
have provided a much-needed supplement to our local book budget, allowing us to
provide a wonderful selection of reading materials to our students.
We have experienced students reading who have never before shown an
interest.
More
colorful new books are always an incentive to read. Books wear out faster than you know, especially the popular
titles, and funds for new and replacement books are always needed.
Since the inception of the K-12 School Library Grant Program, this has
been realized, and our students are checking books out and reading
Our book
budget gets smaller every year. Without
the state money our students would have very few new books to read.
Being able to purchase more nonfiction books of
interest to boys and the reluctant readers has increased independent reading for
our students.
Our annual
budget is such that without matching funds, we would not be able to purchase
anything but a small percentage of requested and needed titles.
Every
student loves new and attractive books, and they are reading them!
It is wonderful to have the chance to update old,
worn-out favorites and to buy materials that the students can’t wait to read!
Return to list of Articles or Return to Reading Network Home Page