New standards arrive as budget cuts threaten to trim programs, staff: The new standards come as budget cuts are threatening the job security of many library media specialists and are making it hard for school libraries to implement new programs.
“Because the No Child Left Behind Act does not address the direct correlation between school library media specialists and academic achievement, school library budgets that are not protected on the state level are being cut … to meet local budget constraints,” said AASL President Ann Martin.
Do Less with Less
I’m sorry, but people who say “do more with less” are not the ones who have to do with less. Libraries do less services with less resources.
All libraries, no matter what type, need money, staff and space. Cut, underfund or reduce any of these, and the libraries produce less in service and accomplishments.
What is really desired, of course, is that one librarian (scared out of her wits by arbitrary firings) should do the work of three people, conjour books out of the air, and make bricks without straw to please some whacky Pharoah. If they can’t do the impossible, it is simply because they aren’t trying, or worse, it’s because they’re not “professional”.
So, do your best when idiots above you reduce funding, but don’t try to do the impossible. First, it can’t be done, and second, all you will do is reinforce idiot behavior. If the people above can cut the budget without any public affect, they will certainly cut it more, not reward it for keeping their head above water, or God forbid, noisily reducing services to students.
R. Lee Hadden (These are my own opinions!)