As the article that Suzi Dubin posted on HaSafran summarizing the results of research into school library effectiveness over a period of years shows, all of the studies demonstrate that school libraries positively affect student learning. That's the good news. The bad news is that none of these studies has had the slightest effect on increasing support for school libraries. It's been dismaying to observe this trend over the years because it contradicts the not unreasonable assumption that solid research is important and can be influential with decision-makers. I know of not a single instance where a school library was in any way supported or enhanced because the research showed that it was educationally worthwhile to do so. Instead, school libraries are so consistently downgraded that several years ago, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) declared the situation a "crisis." And then, in typical AASL manner, issued reams of papers deploring the crisis while doing nothing to find out and address the reason(s) for it. School library effectiveness research is an important first step in establishing the importance of school libraries but it hasn't changed anyone's mind, apparently. What is needed next is a intensive examination of why it has been ignored (and no more completely than by the Jewish education establishment, by the way)and exactly what is important when it comes to convincing decision-makers that quality school libraries make a positive difference.
Linda Linda R. Silver Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) =========================================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: Hasafran @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html History: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/history.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org