Category: LHA

Mr. Eliot had it wrong; April is not the cruelest month, it is the coolest month!

April is National Poetry Month.

April is Autism Awareness Month.

And, of course, April is SCHOOL LIBRARY MONTH! In fact, it is the 25th Anniversary of School Library Month.

And I am the "official spokesperson"!

::stands and bows deeply::

::adjusts crown::

(No, they didn’t give me a crown. I bought it for myself!)

I wish I could say that this year’s School Library Month is all about buying flowers for your librarian and baking a cake. Maybe next year we can do that. This year, we must fight the battle of righteousness.

Why?

Because all over the country, school libraries are being closed. Librarians are being fired. Children are being robbed of a central part of their education.

Don’t believe me?

Check out this map that shows where libraries are being closed. (Note: this map was just created a few days ago. As news of it spreads, more and more schools are being added. If you know of a school library that has been closed, or is no longer staffed by qualified, professional librarians, please add it to the map.)

There are more than 60 studies that show a direct connection between the improved academic acheivement of students and the presence of a library staffed with qualified librarians in their school.

So! Along with my regular fretting, gardening updates, writing tips and book news, I’m going to be talking about school libraries this month. I would love to highlight your library; the good news and the bad. Send me photos, links to news articles or websites, and statistics!! Tell me about what works in your school library or share the bad news about how it was closed. There is a real need for people across the country to come together and talk about this.

Here is what I think:

"A school without a library is like a body without a heart. A school library without a librarian is just a room with some books in it. Our children need school libraries staffed by professional librarians."

What do you think?