Library Association of the University of California Resolution: Support School Libraries and Librarians!

Impressive Resolution by the Library Association of the University of California to the California School Board of Education:

LAUC Resolution: Support California School Libraries and Librarians
Adopted May 4, 2010

• Whereas, students in California higher education institutions are expected prior to admission to be prepared to conduct information research and think critically by having had instruction at the secondary school level in identifying, locating, evaluating and using information effectively and ethically; and,
• Whereas, students are overwhelmed with information of all sorts and need guidance in learning how to become "information literate" so that they can identify, locate, evaluate and use information effectively and ethically; and,
• Whereas, a 2001 research study, "Information Competence at UCLA," revealed "that there are many gaps in [undergraduate] students' understanding of resources and [information researching] methods." (Caravello, Patti S., Borah, Eloisa Gomez, Herschman, Judith, & Mitchell, Eleanor. (2001). Information Competence at UCLA: Report of a Survey Project. UC Los Angeles: UCLA Library.); and,
• Whereas, Faculty Focus group sessions conducted at UCLA in 2005 revealed faculty concern regarding their students' information researching skills: "Most notably [sic] were students' lack of understanding regarding issues surrounding plagiarism and intellectual property; the inability of students to critically evaluate the quality of the material they have found; and students’ lack of understanding of what constitutes the scholarly process (how that differs in different disciplines, how to not only gather information, but analyze it, synthesize what is found and come up with their own interpretation of the material.)" (Kaplowitz, Joan. (2005). Faculty Focus Groups: UCLA Information Literacy Initiative. UC Los Angeles: UCLA Library.); and,
• Whereas, a March 17, 2010 article in American Libraries reports that nearly one‐third of Los Angeles Unified School District librarians have received pink slips (Goldberg, Beverly. "Pink Slips‐‐and Rumors‐‐Fly in L.A." N.p., 17 Mar. 2010. Web. 23 Mar. 2010.; and,
• Whereas, a March 17, 2010 article in School Library Journal reports that all twelve Riverside County School District teacher‐librarians may lose their jobs at the beginning of the next school year (Barack, Lauren. "Riverside, CA, Considers Cutting Last 12 Teacher‐Librarians." School Library Journal 17 Mar. 2010. Web. 23 Mar. 2010; and,
• Whereas, an essay published in the Los Angeles Times on March 21, 2010 does an excellent job of explaining the value and significance of school librarians, as well as information literacy instruction (Scribner, Sara. "Saving the Google Students." Los Angeles Times 21 Mar. 2010.; and,
• Whereas, several international organizations, including, ENSIL, IASL, and IFLA, published “A Library for Every School! A Proclamation” on April 2, 2010, an important document describing the benefits and values of school libraries (European Network for School Libraries and Information Literacy, International Association of School Librarianship, and International Association of Library Federations. “A Library for Every School! A Proclamation,” 2 Apr. 2010. Web. 7 Apr. 2010; and,
• Whereas, at the University of California, librarians try to play catch‐up by teaching guest sessions to undergraduate classes, by preparing workbooks, as well as online tutorials and help guides, and by offering reference in‐person, by phone, email, chat and text messages; and,
• Whereas, the UCLA Library employs approximately 40 FTE public service librarians who serve the needs of 25,614 undergraduates, a ratio of 1 librarian to 640 students; the UC Irvine Library employs approximately 32 FTE public service librarians to serve 21,488 undergraduates, a ratio of 1 librarian to 672 students; UC Riverside employs 22 FTE public service librarians, to meet the needs of 16,996 undergraduates, a ratio of 1 librarian to 772 students, examples that illustrate how daunting this task is and how much higher education needs school libraries and librarians; and,
• Whereas, we not only rely on school libraries and librarians to introduce information literacy concepts to their students, but we also reciprocally help them do so, for instance, by offering an annual UCLA Library workshop for high school and community college librarians to help them learn new information literacy teaching and learning techniques and to introduce them to new tools and information resources that will aid their students and better prepare them for information researching in higher education and for lifelong learning; and,
• Whereas, in schools that employ librarians, the librarians have contributed immensely to this information literacy instruction endeavor through in‐person and online instruction directly to students, and indirectly through teachers; and,
• Whereas, due to budget cuts, many K‐12 school librarians are losing their positions, seriously undermining this effort; and,
• Whereas, in order for school libraries to function effectively and for school librarians to provide essential information literacy instruction , it is imperative that school librarians have a Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) degree and that they administer school libraries; and
• Whereas, adoption by the State Board of Education of Model School Library Standards For California Public Schools, Kindergarten through Grade Twelve, currently being developed by the California State Legislature, would send a strong message of support for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's Executive Order establishing an Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) Digital Literacy Leadership Council (Schwarzenegger, A. Executive order S‐06‐09. Sacramento, CA. Retrieved March 9, 2010); and
• Whereas, these standards are decades overdue; and
• Whereas, adoption of these Standards by the State Board of Education would send a strong message of support for President Obama's compelling proclamation, declaring October 2009 as Information Literacy Awareness Month. Obama, B. (2009) (Presidential Proclamation: National Information Literacy Awareness Month, 2009. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved October 27, 2009 from; and,
  

Therefore, be it resolved that the Librarians Association of the University of California expresses its deep concern and opposition to laying off school librarians in all California school districts; and,

Be it further resolved that the Librarians Association of the University of California fully supports placing the highest priority on adoption by the State Board of Education and implementation by the school districts of the Model School Library Standards For California Public Schools, Kindergarten through Grade Twelve; and,

Be it finally resolved that the Librarians Association of the University of California affirms the great value of school librarians and up‐to‐date, professionally managed school libraries for the preparation of California students for information researching in higher education institutions, and for informed participation in a democratic society, by forwarding a copy of this resolution to the California Secretary of Education, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the California State Board of Education.

Prepared by Esther Grassian and Miki Goral, LAUC‐LA
Endorsed by the Librarians Association of the University of California, Los Angeles Division, 3 May 2010, for submission to the statewide Librarians Association of the University of California (LAUC).
Adopted with minor revisions by the LAUC Executive Board, May 4, 2010.