Demise of the School Library? Union, YES! by Dami Philipp
Quick! Think of a business or organization where turnover is high, pay is low, and staff are burnt out and unappreciated by the community–what is the impact on the customers? Is it possible that the customers experience service or products of low quality, have no meaningful connection to the organization, or are unable to access the product or service due to reduced hours or closures? You probably have already guessed that I am not speaking of fast food joints.
As LSS staff, we may already know the relationship between school libraries affected by low budgets, reduced staffing, and/or shortened hours of operations and student populations. According to the American Library Association:
“Across the United States, studies have demonstrated that students in schools with effective school library programs learn more, get better grades, and score higher on standardized tests than their peers in schools without comparable resources.”
Effective school library programs do not occur without proper staffing, including library staff support such as library media technicians.
Effective school library programs are based not only on collections, they are also based on relationships. As John Chrastka, the founder of EveryLibrary, states in a 2023 article published in the School Library Journal, “The benefits of school libraries go beyond just improving reading and literacy skills. They also serve as integral pillars supporting the cognitive and social development of learners” (Chrastka, 2023). One does not support the needs of learners without establishing a positive relationship with them. “Integral pillars”--school libraries–do not retain the library staff capable of establishing positive relationships over the long run where turnover is high, pay is low, and staff is burnt out.
Based on the title and introductory image of my blog post, you have probably already guessed what else can be integral to effective school library programs: strong unions with educated, dedicated members. Effective union chapters will ultimately support school libraries. Here’s how:
Unions support the rights and job security of employees, helping protect positions during budget cuts, including professionals, teacher-librarians, and classified library staff (depending on the union).
Unions also lobby school districts and state legislatures for adequate staffing and funding. Currently, the San Diego Educator Association (SDEA) is joining other California teachers to advocate for better pay and staffing.
Unions will negotiate for professional development and training. The Classified School Employee Association (CSEA) Chapter 538 sent six paraprofessionals, including me, to this year’s annual Paraeducator Conference in Ontario, CA. This conference is “known statewide by members and school district administrators alike as the premier training and development opportunity for paraeducators”.
Unions negotiate fair pay and benefits, which ends up supporting both union and non-union members. Better compensation packages also assist with attracting and retaining qualified staff. Retention can lead to a library team who are consistent with building collections, programs, and relationships within library services.
When union members are invested in their chapters and schools, they also have the opportunity to shape school policies, budget decisions, and equity initiatives.
Finally, unions provide solidarity: a group of like-minded individuals creating a democratic unit to better both their future and that of their schools and students. In early 2025, I read daily of the continuous barrage of policies intended to dismantle the freedoms and rights of those I love and work for–well, I started researching becoming a librarian in New Zealand. I managed to remember that what I advocate for makes me stronger.
I advocate for effective school libraries.
I advocate for sufficient funding and rich collections.
I advocate for dedicated teams of library staff.
I advocate for students to have the opportunity to finally find a book they love.
I advocate for unions.
Sources
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/school-libraries
Chrastka, J. (2023, September 20). Making the case for school libraries. Are you up to date on the research?. School Library Journal. https://politicsinpractice.slj.com/2023/09/20/making-the-case-for-school-libraries-are-you-up-to-date-on-the-research/
https://www.cta.org/document/the-state-of-ca-public-schools
Hunt, J. (2022, October 31). Commentary: Our students deserve better than our woeful school libraries. EdSource. https://edsource.org/2021/our-students-deserve-better-than-our-woeful-school-libraries/664652
Lambert, D. (2022, October 31). Where are all of California’s school librarians? EdSource. https://edsource.org/2022/where-are-all-the-school-librarians/670164
https://www.sdea.net/2025/02/letters-in-solidarity-feb-2025/
Comments
Post a Comment