School libraries are a doorway for children and youth to learn about the world. By design, they are sites for students to explore and develop their own interests, and to foster a love of reading,1 along with their inquiry and research skills. And as the digital world puts more and more information at students’ finger tips, the library can open the door to learning beyond the walls of the school.
In Ontario, there appears to be declining support for the distinct role of school libraries. This year, only 56% of elementary schools have a teacher-librarian (eighty percent of them work part-time), a number that has fallen steadily from 80% in 1997/98. In high schools, where students do more independent work, the number is higher – 66% – but is down from the 78% of ten years ago.
Students in smaller communities and in smaller schools are much less likely to attend schools that have teacher-librarians. Only 19% of elementary schools in Eastern Ontario and 10% of elementary schools in Northern Ontario have teacher-librarians, compared to 92% of elementary schools in the GTA. Some principals from these regions say that their schools don’t have a library at all. The loss of teacher-librarians also affects the number of hours school libraries are open each week. Libraries in schools with teacher-librarians are more likely to have longer hours, which ensures that students have access to them before, during and afterthe school day.
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