Paper Title:

School Library Funding: How the Pieces Fit Together

Introduction:

School budgets are affected by many factors. When school budgets decrease at the local, state, or

national levels, often library resources and personnel are negatively impacted, which in turn can

affect overall student achievement. Some school districts cut library positions or curtail funding

to libraries. To handle monetary shortfalls, school librarians must set priorities for purchasing

books to add to school collections, maintaining existing resources, and adding new technology.

One current trend in school libraries is the development of a makerspace where students use their

imaginations to create and explore with a variety of materials. Many school libraries also adopt a

learning commons approach to librarianship, where students collaborate and use technology to

enhance their learning. These programs require funding that is not typically part of a regular

school budget. Some librarians look for alternate funding sources through media sites, writing

grants, or contacting corporations and non-profit foundations. Merging resources with public

libraries has been beneficial to some school libraries. Many librarians partner with local

grassroots groups, lobbyists and/or local and state officials to promote the value of a strong

library program backed by library organizations. Library Advisory Committees (LAC’s) and

other organizations can help the community understand the importance of advocacy. Some

librarians have discovered that the best advocates are the parents of the students they serve.

Libraries provide so much more than books to students, and they deserve to be well-funded. The

following articles will address the various funding issues facing school libraries and help piece

together an advocacy platform for teacher librarians.

1. Citation:

Harper, M. S., & Schwelik, J. S. (2013). School library challenge. Knowledge Quest, 42(1), 24-

28.

Resource Type:

Scholarly/Peer-Reviewed

Summary:

This article addresses the importance of school librarians developing a Library Advisory

Committee (LAC). The LAC should consist of a wide range of individuals and stakeholders and

can help the librarian make decisions regarding different aspects of librarianship. The authors list

roles and responsibilities of LAC members. Most school libraries do not create or maintain a

LAC despite obvious benefits to the community. Possible collaborative activities and tips for

forming a LAC are included in the article.

Evaluation:

The tips and suggestions for community involvement are helpful to understanding the

importance of school funding. When people have a higher stake or personal involvement, they

are more likely to support initiatives and advocate for them. The authors work in the library

science field and are qualified to speak on this topic.

Justification:

The fact that so few school libraries form LAC’s provides evidence as to why they are needed.

Librarians cannot advocate for their positions or funding alone. They need the support of

students, parents, school administration, district personnel, and community members to fully

scope the importance of library services and to advocate on behalf of the collective body. This

will happen more readily with involvement of an organization like a LAC.

2. Citation:

Haycock, K., & Stenström, C. (2016). Reviewing the research and evidence: Towards best

practices for garnering support for school libraries. School Libraries Worldwide, 22(1),

127-142. 

Resource Type:

Scholarly/Peer-Reviewed

Summary:

The authors of this article researched a variety of techniques which they hope will reverse the

trend of lack of support for library funding. School libraries are more susceptible to funding cuts

even though there is a strong correlation between increased staff and support and student

achievement. They found that keeping the advocacy needs local and building personal

relationships with those who make the decisions are two keys to successful support.

Evaluation:

If librarians are going to advocate for more funding, the role of influence comes into play.

Throughout the article, the authors provide ways librarians can influence and persuade the

decision makers to look favorably upon their programs. The tips are timely and encourage active

and passive influential roles.

Justification:

The article looks at advocacy research and attempts to answer how librarians and other

stakeholders can try to influence those who control funding by utilizing various techniques.

Library funding largely depends on who controls the money. Finding ways to increase funding

for school libraries is important, and librarians can influence those decisions.

3. Citation:

Henderson, J. (2007). Exploring the combined public/school library. Knowledge Quest, 35(3),

34-37.

Resource Type:

Scholarly/Peer-Reviewed

Summary:

In this article, the author participated in the merging of a public library and high school library

while completing her Master’s practicum in library science. The benefits and challenges of such

a merger are discussed in the contexts of joint planning, staffing, facility logistics, funding,

developing collections, and program evaluation. The author details the steps to consider when

merging two libraries and the process involved from her perspective.

Evaluation:

The author has first-hand knowledge of the process of merging two library entities and is

qualified to speak to the unique collaboration between them. She raises concerns and questions

some of the decisions, and provides constructive advice for other libraries considering a merge

due to decreasing resources.

Justification:

Libraries continually look for ways to increase funding or manage the monies they have.

Merging a public and school library can be beneficial to both libraries, but can also create some

potential difficulties. Although this funding solution may not be one that works for all schools, it

appears to have been the right decision for this one.

4. Citation:

Johns, S. K. (2008). AASL and parents: A partnership for power. Knowledge Quest, 36(3), 4-6.

Resource Type:

Scholarly/Peer-Reviewed

Summary:

This article explores the impact of a grassroots movement by a group of moms in Spokane,

Washington who were upset with cuts to their local school libraries. They formed a coalition

with state and national library organizations, went to the capital of Washington to share their

concerns with elected officials, and effected change for their children’s schools.

Evaluation:

The author of this article is a former president of the American Association of School Librarians

(AASL) and traveled with The Spokane Moms to the capital of Washington State and writes

from her first-hand experience as both a librarian and an advocate. It shows that partnerships can

bring about positive change. Due to the efforts of this advocacy group, and to increase

collaboration with parents, the AASL Board created a Parent Outreach Task Force in 2007.

Justification:

School funding comes mostly from local and state governments. The legislature needs to be

aware of how budget cuts and school finance reforms affect library programs, and a parental

voice sometimes carries more weight with lawmakers than that of an educator. It removes the

self-serving aspect from the equation.

5. Citation:

Price, B. (2003). Budgets and school libraries: Rethinking priorities. Teacher Librarian, 30(5),

63.

Resource Type:

Scholarly/Peer-Reviewed

Summary:

In this article, the author, a middle school vice-principal, recalls how he feels compelled to save

the library budget year after year despite looming shortfalls. He continues to advocate for

reading for enjoyment and providing students with the resources they need while making

compromises in other areas of the annual budget.

Evaluation:

The author relates how he often feels alone in his advocacy for libraries. Parents don’t seem to

value reading at home, and teachers have fewer opportunities to work with a qualified,

experienced librarian. In his opinion, these groups do not realize the importance a skilled

librarian can bring to a school setting.

Justification:

Advocacy and support from school administrators is vital to the success of any library program

regardless of funding issues. If all administrators understood the mission of librarianship as this

author does, librarians would not have to worry about funding. Working to educate the

community and involving the stakeholders is another role of the teacher librarian and the school

administration especially when looking for funding priorities and approval.

6. Citation:

Ray, M. (2014). In lobbying, good professional has amateur help. Teacher Librarian, 42(2), 58-

59,71.

Resource Type:

Scholarly/Peer-Reviewed

Summary:

Library advocacy can include lobbyists, which is the focal point of this article. The Washington

Library Media Association enlisted the help of a paid lobbyist, Carolyn Logue, to further their

cause with the Washington State legislature. Logue’s lobbying resulted in favorable bills passed

that include requirements for library programs and resources allocated to them.

Evaluation:

Although lobbyists often are given a bad name, in this case, the skills of a professional lobbyist

proved to be beneficial to the WLMA in Washington. The article makes that point that advocacy

needs to be sustained over time, and includes ways to continue to keep library issues at the

forefront of the legislative session.

Justification:

Local and federal governments hold the purse strings for school funding. Teacher librarians

need to actively inform and educate the lawmakers about their programs and the benefits to

student achievement, so that when funding decisions are made, library programs are included. A

lobbyist has knowledge of the inner working of government offices that librarians may lack and

can prove to be a valuable ally.

7. Citation:

Taylor, C. (2010). Thinking out of the box: Fundraising during economic downturns. The Serials

Librarian, 59:3-4, 370-383.

doi: 10.1080/036152618903623120.

Resource Type:

Scholarly/Peer-Reviewed

Summary:

This article reviews the implications of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)

of 2009 and how it impacts alternate sources of funding for libraries. The author states that first

the funding problem must be defined, and then the library needs to decide what type of funding

to pursue. Federal and state grants often require a lot of paperwork and time. Corporate

foundations can provide grants, matching funds, or in-kind contributions. Some libraries resort to

a type of non-traditional fundraising to procure needed funds including programs encouraging

the public to “Adopt a Library” or purchase merchandising.

Evaluation:

The author gives a complete overview of the types of funding available to libraries, however, the

tone of the article is not encouraging overall. Some useful websites are included and planning for

either long-term or short-term funding in necessary to consider. The author stresses that any

inquiry into additional funding needs to be cleared through administration since often the

management of grants requires additional time spent outside of normal job responsibilities.

Justification:

Libraries often need to locate alternate sources of funding as school library budgets decrease.

Adopting a makerspace or learning commons approach makes the need for other sources of

revenue even more relevant and necessary. If a lot of extra time will be devoted to procuring

additional funds, the librarian needs to be aware of the implications and avenues available.

8. Citation:

Woolls, B. (2002). Collection development: Our assignment through history. School Libraries in

Canada, 21(4), 7-8.

Resource Type:

Scholarly/Peer-Reviewed

Summary:

In this article, the author gives a brief history of funding for library collections and how it has

changed through different decades since the 1960’s. She makes the case that throughout the

funding increases and decreases, the constant is the school librarian, who is responsible for not

only maintaining and adding to a relevant collection, but is the resident expert on information

and research on a school campus. The school librarian needs to make himself/herself

indispensable by providing the best resources to students, and to assist teacher and students with

curriculum and promoting critical thinking skills.

Evaluation:

The author approaches this subject from the standpoint that school librarians are central figures

in a school, and that they need to make their worth known especially in a time when funding is

uncertain. Librarians are uniquely qualified to assist students with research and making

connections through inquiry-based learning. The author has extensive experience in the field and

has worked in both school library and university settings.

Justification:

Increasingly, school budget cuts mean reductions in library staffing or collections. As a result,

librarians need to prove their expertise is worth the dollars spent both in personnel and resources.

If a district chooses to supplant the school librarian with a clerk or paraprofessional to save

money, they lose more than just a librarian in the process. The skills the teacher librarian brings

to a school staff are numerous and vital to student success.

Appendix

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