The Solution
Elements of a High-Quality School Library Program
Shelves, books and space, but no one to teach with them.
An expert educator, but one who can be cut in a single budget vote.
A curriculum, a five-year plan, staffing ratios, a budget and an annual report to the board. The program is what makes a library accountable, and what lets it survive a budget cycle.
The ten elements
This is what a properly staffed and funded program contains, grouped by what each part does.
Tap any element to turn it over and see the question to ask your district. Tap again to turn it back.
Foundation
What keeps the program funded and answerable.
Adequate funding Between 1.0% and 1.5% of total general fund expenditure, including a salaried District Director of School Library Programs. Ask your district“What did the library budget total this year, and what share of the general fund is that?”
Strategic program planning A five-year districtwide plan approved by the board and filed with the State, covering staffing, facilities and budget. Ask your district“Is there a five-year School Library Strategic Plan on file with the board?”
Assessment and accountability An annual budget and five-year projection presented to the board, with a program evaluation developed with NJASL. Ask your district“Does the board receive an annual report on the library program’s performance?”
People
Who runs the program, and how they keep growing.
Program staffing A certified District Director, certified School Librarians in every building, trained aides, and volunteers who support rather than substitute. Ask your district“Is there a certified School Librarian in my child’s building, full time or shared across schools?”
Professional development Annual continuing education for library staff, and collaboration with public librarians, community groups and parents. Ask your district“What professional development does the librarian receive, and do they train other staff?”
Teaching
What students actually learn, and who it reaches.
Curriculum development A preschool–grade 12 curriculum mapped to NJSLS, with literacy and information literacy woven into every subject. Ask your district“Is there a written library curriculum, and does it connect to what’s taught in the classroom?”
Instruction for every learner Coordinated support for economically disadvantaged, special education, multilingual and gifted students, plus protected reading time. Ask your district“How does the library adapt for students with IEPs, multilingual learners and gifted students?”
Place and resources
Where it happens, and what students can reach.
The library itself A dedicated space, extended hours before and after school and over the summer, and a current, curated collection. Ask your district“Is the library open all day, or only when a class is scheduled?”
Resources and technology Subscriptions and research databases, makerspaces, devices and remote access from the library, the classroom or home. Ask your district“What databases and digital resources can my child access from home?”
Schoolwide programming Book fairs, author visits, reading challenges, book clubs, read-alouds and community reads. Ask your district“What library events has the school run this year: book fairs, author visits, reading challenges?”
Why this has to be statewide
Individual districts can build programs, but only the State can make sure every student gets one.
New Jersey already says it is essential
Since 2008, the School Funding Reform Act has built School Librarians into the base per-pupil cost of a thorough and efficient education. The requirement exists. Enforcement does not.
See what the law saysWithout standards there is no accountability
New Jersey sets no standards for School Library Programs, so there is no way to judge the quality of a district’s program or what its students receive. The existing requirement carries no consequence, so districts eliminate the position and nothing follows.
Districts cannot solve it alone
The smallest districts will never sustain a full-time position from their own budget, and the largest are already stretched past a thousand students per librarian. Left to each district, library budgets follow the local tax base and administrative priorities rather than student needs.
See how far New Jersey is from this
Staffing, spending and the law, across all 535 districts.
Every figure on this page is sourced at schoolsneedlibrarians.com/sources.