Maker Movements Should NOT Endanger School Libraries, Librarians, and Reading
To call yourself a librarian, you need to have that training and to be certified. If you replace a certified librarian with someone who’s just an expert in technology, you’re losing half of the role that school libraries are supposed to be serving.
You still need someone who is a champion of reading.
~Leslie Preddy, president of the American Association of School Librarians discussing Makerspaces. Kansas City Star. June 26, 2016,
School libraries are where students have access to books. Librarians assist students with reading, research, and a variety of language and reading activities. Children learning to read can find a book on any topic in the library.
We know that schools with excellent libraries have students that do better than those with insufficient or no libraries. From Phi Delta Kappan:
Data from more than 34 statewide studies suggest that students tend to earn better standardized test scores in schools that have strong library programs. Further, when administrators, teachers, and librarians themselves rated the importance and frequency of various library practices associated with student learning, their ratings Continue reading: Maker Movements Should NOT Endanger School Libraries, Librarians, and Reading