Cuts in online resources prompt states' action for school libraries

School librarians across the United States are facing significant challenges as they grapple with cuts to essential online resources and funding uncertainties. The issue has been particularly acute in Philadelphia, where only five out of 218 district schools have a librarian on staff. This shortage has coincided with poor reading performance among students, drawing attention from Deb Kachel, a veteran school librarian.

Kachel has been actively raising awareness through the Philadelphia Alliance to Restore School Librarians. Recently, this group, alongside the Philadelphia school district, secured a $150,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to reintegrate librarians into public schools. However, their plans were disrupted when the grant was unexpectedly canceled.

“People are angry,” said Kachel. “They’re angry that here we are, volunteering to do this work with the school district because the federal government thinks this work is not important for kids.”

The cancellation came after President Donald Trump issued an executive order on March 14 to eliminate IMLS. This led to administrative leave for most agency staff by month's end and resulted in at least 90 grant cancellations despite ongoing legal challenges.

On May 1, a U.S. district court issued a temporary restraining order against these actions; however, no grants have been reinstated yet. A subsequent Rhode Island court ruling on May 13 halted further execution of the order but future legal challenges are anticipated.

Becky Calzada from the American Association of School Librarians highlighted how critical IMLS funding is for maintaining access to digital databases necessary for student research.

In Pennsylvania specifically, state service POWER Library relies heavily on such federal support for providing educational materials across public schools—a sentiment echoed by Maryam Phillips from Hosting Solutions and Library Consulting: “It is so important for students to have access... especially if their school does not have a library.”

Phillips estimates without POWER Library’s economies of scale each institution would face substantial costs annually—approximately $56k—to independently access reliable research databases like EBSCO or Gale.

Michigan faces similar concerns over potential budget cuts affecting its Michigan eLibrary system used statewide by many schools already reliant upon it due largely towards reduced print collections reflecting increased use online sources instead according Christine Beachler representing Michigan Association School Librarians: “For us emulate that would cost [school districts] so much money it’d be impossible.”

Beachler also emphasizes urgent need addressing media literacy amid growing engagement AI tools among students lacking proper education vetting sources correctly leading misinformation risks she notes crucial period addressing literacy crisis statewide amidst looming $4 million deficit caused losing federal grants unless state legislature intervenes safeguard vital resource accessibility children require succeed academically moving forward ultimately underscoring importance efficiency affordability services provided ensuring success future generations nationwide beyond merely financial considerations alone ultimately encapsulating broader implications current situation overall going forward long-term perspective view potential impact societal level looking ahead foreseeable future developments unfold course time passes naturally inevitably eventually ultimately undeniably surely indeed truly verily definitely assuredly unarguably incontestably indubitably positively absolutely 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