Cowichan News Leader & Pictorial: 2007 November 24
Susan Tomusiak
When the Roman Empire was in decline, the historian Marcellinus complained, “The libraries are closing forever, like tombs.” The statement reflected a time and place marked by the deterioration of education, thought and culture.
Are we approaching the dark Ages — a medieval state of mind where an enlightened civilization turns in on itself and retreats in ignorance? In one of the most prosperous provinces in one of the richest countries in the world, why do we not have the budget for school libraries?
This letter is in response to a disturbing article entitled “Time to turn page on school libraries?” Our school libraries are not stagnant, out-of-touch bastions of a past age waiting to be boarded up. Why does the article refer to school libraries as “book rooms?” Book rooms are storage areas. School libraries are active, vital and thinking environments.
If the view is that books are obsolete, will School District 79 be the first in the country to sponsor book burnings and turn our safe and comfortable libraries into bingo halls.
The article quotes trustee support for literacy. Support for literacy can be a glib and convenient comment to hide behind. What is difficult is the planning and implementation of strategies to attain the goal. All democracies recognize the school library has a major role to play.
The Internet is not a replacement for books. It has enriched the potential for meaningful research, but, it requires a sophisticated set of skills to use effectively. Unless raw data goes through process, there is no understanding and no knowledge.
At a recent conference, the welcoming speaker was Mike McKay, a former principal in SD79 and now superintendent of Surrey. He told the audience, “Our district has a proud history of support for teacher-librarians and investment in school libraries. Contrast this vision with the doom and gloom scenario orchestrated by this district. Are our students less worthy of this vision?
Last year the district closed two schools with the rationale larger schools would provide better services to students. Less than a year later, there is speculation the school libraries may have to go. What possibly could be next?
“It’s a budget issue.” If trustees of public education and administrators of this district are not aggressively and consistently pursuing adequate funding to support school libraries, they are defeated too easily.
Susan Tomusiak is the advocacy chairwoman of the Cowichan District Teacher-Librarian Association.
