School libraries the poor relation

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As pressure increases to lift Kiwi kids' literacy and numeracy, schools are struggling to keep their libraries well resourced, up-to-date and professionally staffed.

A growing demand for e-books that students can download on to a tablet device is also increasing budgetary pressure.

The issue has attracted the attention of the Post-Primary Teachers Association, which is calling on the government to restore funding for a qualified librarian and make school libraries mandatory.

The libraries are funded from a school's government grant. It's a school's prerogative how the grant is used. Ministry of Education spokesman Jeremy Wood said in 2009 schools spent around $5.5 million on library resources. That's an average of $2200 per school.

Library manager at Invercargill's James Hargest College, Senga White said "forcing" schools to fund their libraries from operational grants isn't working.

"There will be a number of schools in New Zealand, for a variety of reasons, that may not have libraries at the moment," White said.

The former president of the School Library Association (SLANZA) said adequately resourced libraries can make a "significant difference" to the achievement levels for all students.

"In the schools where they employ knowledgeable staff for their libraries, the curriculum underpins all planning."

White said in an "ideal world" schools would be given a little extra money – calculated on roll size and decile – set aside for the library. And library staff would also be paid out of the staffing fund – not the operations grants.

Wellington High School librarian Adaire Hannah said her school's library was well-resourced and was treated as a "hub of learning" that was integral to the school – a fact that drew surprised comments from outsiders.

"We constantly hear comments to the effect that with the internet we do not need school libraries," she said.

In 2003, Cambridge High School dismantled its library in favour of a $1.5m cyber cafe. The move was short-lived. The cafe never opened and two years later, under a new principal, the library was restored.

Hannah believes e-books and the internet complement rather than replace printed books and present no more of a challenge than audio books, video and the internet have – other than the cost.

To make e-books available to students, schools have to spend at least $2000 to gain access to a specific platform and then make it compatible with an existing catalogue system.

On top of that is a per-book, per-student issuing cost to their tablet or e-reader. Plus the wireless needed to make the transaction happen. "Then of course if [the school] buys e-readers there are additional costs," she said.

New technology also means time out to learn how to make it work – something librarians are often asked to do unpaid, after hours.

Hannah said "no young person would consider [taking] the position of a school librarian as the pay and conditions are very poor and there is no career structure".

She said qualified librarians often are not recognised as a professional staff member, not paid during school holidays, not paid much more than the minimum wage and frequently have their hours cut.

"Having met graduating librarians, it was depressing to hear them say they would not consider working in a school," Hannah said.

However she said there are "innovative" ways to cope – such as sharing librarians between neighbouring schools.

- © Fairfax NZ News