Cowichan News Leader: 2007 November 14
Even those who don’t endorse making library cuts concede they might be necessary in order to turn the page on the next budget.
Right now, the School District 79 board is exploring whether it can afford to have its libraries open full-time, an issue that was discussed during a series of recent SD79 community forums.
“Do we need to buy books anymore?” pondered parent Wendy Palou at a Chemainus group meeting. “Research skills are important.”
But with the Internet virtually giving students instant access to information, she was among several parents who questioned the relevance of books.
Meanwhile, some trustees staunchly defended the merit of libraries, stating they were troubled at suggestions of them going the way of the dinosaur.
“It grieves me that people feel that way about the library,” said Trustee Eden Haythornthwaite. “But I can’t help the way people feel.”
Currently, middle and secondary schools within the district have at least half-time librarians.
Most elementary schools have half-time librarians, but some have less, with some working just a few afternoons a week.
A school’s library time is based on student enrolment. It costs SD79 about $1.2 million annually to run book rooms the way it does. That includes wages and benefits, but not all learning resources.
SD79 board chair Brian Simmons has stated the district cannot afford to continue operating with its current level of services.
Trustee Barb de Groot, a former teacher-librarian at Quamichan middle school, appreciates the dilemma.
“I’m torn here,” she said. “I believe literacy is one of our main goals. And it is.
“I also know we have budget constraints.”
Recognizing there is a need for funding in the classrooms, de Groot said she would like to see a balance of resources.
“My concern is, if we start to keep teacher-librarians in place, where are we going to cut?” she asked. “I guess the question comes down to how you keep those resources close to kids.”
Linda McMenamin, SD79 director of elementary education, said librarians are an important way to connect children to authors and help support literacy.
Money spent on libraries goes toward staffing and resources and, like de Groot, McMenamin said that isn’t the only SD79 priority.
“There a million things that are vital in schools and that are important,” she said. “It’s a budget issue.”
McMenamin doesn’t count the Internet as a factor in this debate and said they couldn’t replace the humans that help instill a love of reading in children.
“We don’t see technology taking over for librarians and the job they do,” she said. “I’m very comfortable in saying libraries are important in schools and librarians are very important in schools.”
