I read with sadness today of the closing of all the public libraries in Camden (NJ)-- a city consistently in the top 10 of America's most impoverished cities; a city where few schools have library media centers available to students.
In recent years, study after study has shown that students who attend schools with well-staffed, well-stocked libraries have higher achievement, improved literacy and higher success at the secondary level. The correlation between access to (and use of) technology and learning materials is well documented: people --particularly children-- who are provided the time and the tools to make use of media are more likely to find and make use of opportunities.
The gap between those who have such access, and those who do not, is growing steadily, with few means of bridging the gap. We are raising entire generations of children who can't master basic skills, let alone be prepared to enter the 21st century workforce.
Has a school or public library helped you in a significant way? What strategies would you suggest to call attention to the importance of libraries? What suggestions do you have for school or public libraries, to maintain their services in these difficult financial times?
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