Recommended Number Of Books Per Student School Library

So commitment is the judge of the adequacy of a collection. You, and you alone, as a professional determine how many materials your library needs. Why do I think a lot of school administrators will simply roll their eyes when you tell them this?

recommended number of books per student school library

When AASL abandoned quantitative standards for school library programs with the publication of the 1998 version of Information Power, Minnesota librarians stepped up and included them in their 2000 Minnesota Standards for Effective School Library Media Programs:

This really make me think this morning. One thought that came to mind is that hard numbers that classify all school libraries as a standard will leave many schools out of the exemplary category because of budgets, personnel, admin not even knowing about library standards. The new standards do make amount of books nebulous, but it may also open the door to libraries doing some virtual footwork to ask others about what they have, what is spent on ( to diversify the collection) and other questions they want to ask to create hard numbers through polling, interviews, visits to neighboring libraries. This can show more than state statistics... It can also show how much a librarian cares about the collection, reading, collaboration, and community.

As usual, the answer lies in the middle. I inherited a district library program that has been in deep neglect for over a decade. While I believe I am pretty well versed in standards and advocacy, an authoritative, quantitative standard needs to be in place that arms me with clear expectations for an exemplary program that I can present to decision makers. Districts and campus libraries that have been neglected, under staffed, and under funded (in other words, thousands of US schools) need hard data to make the case for support. AASL needs to step up and create that support. Yes, good librarians don't need those numbers, but our decision makers (and there are many) who have never worked with good librarians do.

For me, this is very much an equity question - just how many books (print or electronic) should EVERY child be able to access and enjoy in their schools. A set of numeric values related to library collections would be helpful for that.

ALA's school librarian division, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL, a division of ALA) has various Position Statements, including Digital Content and E-books in School Library Collections.

Totten, Herman L. and Risa W. Brown. Culturally Diverse Library Collections for Children. New York, Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.: New York, 1994.Single source bibliography to help school library media specialists diversify their collections.

The 2011 edition of the survey in the March 2011 issue, as SLJ's Spending Survey by Lesley Farmer, does not present a similar benchmark of a number of books per student. Instead, Table 2: Student Enrollment, Median Library Books, Acquisitions, and Budgets 2009-2010 reports the median for books added in that time period. The survey indicates a median of 400 books added for Elementary school, K-8; 414 books for Middle school; and 421 books for High school, K-12.

From the map, we know that opportunities abound to connect reading resources to vulnerable communities of color. We see that urban school districts are more likely to contain libraries, and that the circulation of children's materials tends to be stronger in these areas as a result. Yet some research suggests that socioeconomically disadvantaged children, including children of color, are less likely to have books in the home or read at home. Thus, the map surfaces a critical point: the work of increasing reading among our most vulnerable families does not stop at access.We urge the field to consider new opportunities for translating access into impact. Take a look at your school district and consider how you can support the libraries within it in delivering on their mission or whether the flow of children's materials is reaching the families who need resources the most. Here's what we're doing at the Department:

A district's per student annual circulation of children's library material was calculated by dividing the annual circulation by the number of students in the district (based on the 2013-14 National Center for Education Statistics' Common Core of Data (CCD) School District Universe Survey).

The child poverty rates were calculated using 2014 Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) school district data and the percentage of students of color was based on school district data on enrollment by race/ethnicity from the CCD. Students of color are students who are American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, black, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, or two or more races.

Many schools are looking for donations and other sources of funding to supplement their budget losses, while teachers are spending hundreds of dollars of their own money on items for the library and also searching for free and donated materials though sites such as DonorsChoose. The percentage of funding coming from book fairs decreased as well, from 17 percent in 2017-18 to 14 percent this year.

Nearly half of the respondents said they face restrictions on what they are allowed to spend their library media center (LMC) budget funds on this year; many said they are required to get approval before any purchases are made. Overall, many librarians plan to spend more this year on ebooks and audiobooks than last year, while also boosting their spending on fiction versus nonfiction.

About half of school librarians (48 percent) have restrictions on what they are allowed to spend their LMC budget on, no matter the grade level. Some librarians have been told by their school administration or district that they can only spend on ebooks this year. Many are allowed to buy circulating items with their budget, but rules vary for purchasing equipment, supplies, and technology.

Nearly half of school libraries predict an increase in spending on ebooks this academic year, and 27 percent plan to spend more on audiobooks. A third of all librarians (33 percent) purchased ebooks last year and 18 percent purchased audiobooks. Middle schools are the most likely to anticipate spending more on ebooks and less on print.

Looking ahead, librarians wrote that their priorities for the next two years are to ensure that all students have equitable access to library materials; to curate an inclusive and diverse collection; and to build stronger ties between the library and teachers/curriculum teams.

It would depend on the number of students in grades 7-12. 91.2 lists the number of periods a day that is required for school library service for schools of different sizes. Part-time daily service is permissible in schools under 700 students. Please see the regulation for the exact number of periods a day required for your school.

No the school may not withhold student grade reports. It has long been the position of the New York State Education Department that a public school may not withhold grades, a transcript, or books from a student for any reason. A student is entitled to those items as part of a free public education guaranteed pursuant to Education Law 3202. If a student or parent owes the district money, the district may resort to civil proceedings to recover the money, but may not withhold records or books to compel payment. Since there is a contractual relationship between a family and a nonpublic school, nonpublic schools may refuse to provide cards or transcripts to a student whose family has not fulfilled their obligation to pay all tuition and fees.

The library at Fort Gratiot Middle School houses an estimated 6,700 books, or more than 10 books per student, which is the number recommended by the American Library Association, said Cynthia Hayosh, a media specialist at the school.

The middle school libraries of Central, Fort Gratiot and Holland Woods are holding an online Titlewish fundraiser that would bring more current books to all students. The fundraising goal is $5,000 for each school. The online fundraiser ends June 8. All of the money raised will go directly to purchasing new materials for the school libraries.

At Central, the Titlewish program is part of a literacy initiative. Parrott said the goal is about 20 books per student. She said well-stocked libraries at Central and Holland Woods Middle School are critical because they are high-poverty schools whose students have fewer resources at home.

The students checked out all of those books through donations from the Community Foundation of St. Clair County and the Acheson Foundation. Parrott said the grants were generous and helped raised the selection and quality of books for students of all reading abilities, but that more needed to be done.

Even though Fort Gratiot students might have more books to choose from, Hayosh said they still are in need of funds to update their non-fiction collection so that it lines up with common core standards.

You learn to read by reading, but you must have something to read first. Research clearly supports the notion that the best predictor of reading in schools that serve children living in poverty is the quality of the school library.

It is recommended that schools have an average of 28 books per child and that the collection is replenished every few years. California schools like those in the lawsuit have on average 10 books per child (some can have as few as five) and the books are outdated, tattered and uninteresting. Some date back to the 1950s.

We know from decades of research that more access to books means more self-selected reading, which in turn means superior literacy development. This is supported by research showing that better school libraries and the presence of school librarians result in reading achievement.

We also know that children experiencing poverty have limited access to books at home, in their communities and in school, which helps explain why they typically have low reading achievement. For these children, a library is often their only source of books.