Teacher-librarians are needed more than ever

The B.C. government has said it wants to "make B.C. the best educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent." Teacher-librarians have a key role to play in our schools if we are to achieve a more literate population.

International research has shown a consistent correlation between school libraries, subject learning, and information literacy. If we really want to improve literacy, we have to ensure that we have teacher-librarians with budgets that allow for an adequate collection of books. With the many new technologies available, budgets must also provide for quality resources in new media.

Google cannot replace the teacher-librarian

Yes, there is a lot of information available through the computer on the web. Tools like Google can help to find information. However, googling can also lead to misinformation or to so much information that a student is baffled. One role of the teacher-librarian is to help students develop information literacy, which has been defined as "the ability to access, evaluate, and make effective use of information." The teacher-librarian can work with students to learn about the multitude of different resources and to develop skills in evaluating what they find for relevance and accuracy.

The teacher-librarian works with other teachers, as well. They provide resources to classroom teachers, helping them keep the curriculum up to date with new information and new technological tools. Teacher-librarians take extra university courses beyond that needed for their teaching certificate to gain the qualifications and skills to help students and teachers.

Teacher-librarians can do all of this—if they exist. According to a Statistics Canada survey of schools, only about 2% of B.C. schools have a full-time librarian. Many do not even have a part-time librarian. Without a teacher-librarian, the most important functions of the library—selecting the right resources for the school and working with students and teachers—are not carried out.

Where have all the books gone?

According to a Statistics Canada study of school library resources, the budget for B.C. elementary schools averaged at $11.13 per student and secondary schools at $13.21 per student. These days, that is hardly enough to buy even one paperback book per student, let alone the necessary, but more expensive, reference books or multimedia material. We have students who want to read and library spaces for them to sit, but many libraries lack the diverse resources that meet the full range of student interests and needs.

Where have all the teacher-librarians gone?

Many teacher-librarian positions disappeared when the staffing provisions were cut from the teacher collective agreement in 2002. Between 2002 and 2004, teacher-librarian staffing declined by 25%, according to the Ministry of Education. Even with the increased funding to school districts this school year, much of the reported increase in library service will be provided by library technicians, not by qualified teacher-librarians.

Libraries are most important for the students without resources at home

From pre-school to graduation, students with books in their homes will generally do better in school. Increasingly, computers and access to the Internet are required for everyday learning. Libraries should serve as an equalizer—giving access to resources and technology for students who have fewer resources at home.

In the face of inadequate library budgets, some school communities have turned to fundraising to provide more resources in the school library. Unfortunately, our communities have different abilities to raise funds, based on the incomes of families attending the school. This fundraising often widens the gap between those who already have the most access and those who need it the most.

Support school libraries and teacher-librarians

Achieving improved literacy requires a commitment to school libraries that are well funded and fully staffed by professional teacher-librarians.

For further information, go to the web site of the B.C. Coalition for School Libraries at bccsl.ca.