REFERENCE

Sources & Research

Every figure in our booklets, handouts, presentation and website, organized by topic, with links to the original sources. Within each section the strongest evidence is listed first. If you’d like the underlying data or spot something that needs updating, contact mnrancic@schoolsneedlibrarians.com.

Tier 1 — Primary data and strongest evidenceGovernment assessments, official state data, laws and regulations; peer-reviewed experimental and quasi-experimental studies; and meta-analyses of those studies.
Tier 2 — Research and synthesesOther peer-reviewed studies (observational and correlational), meta-analyses of observational studies, narrative reviews, replicated statewide studies and preprints.
Tier 3 — Reports & standardsAssociation standards, agency guidance, practitioner surveys.

01

The literacy picture — national and New Jersey

Where reading stands, who is measuring it and how the trend has moved since 2012.

Tier 1 Federal and international assessments

Tier 1 New Jersey state data

  • New Jersey School Performance Reports — NJSLA ELA and NJGPA, 2024–25 — NJDOE. nj.gov/education/spr · downloadable data. Also the source for the Montclair figures: the Montclair Public Schools (Essex County) district report gives the share of students who did not meet NJSLA ELA expectations by grade (4th, 8th and 9th) and by student group (economically disadvantaged, students with disabilities and multilingual learners vs. their peers), along with district and statewide enrollment demographics. Booklet p.1, p.6, p.8Montclair Advocacy Booklet p.9PresentationParent handouts
  • Stanford Education Data Archive / Educational Opportunity Project and the Education Recovery Scorecard (2026). cepr.harvard.edu/education-recovery-scorecard · Stanford GSE — 2026 findings Presentation

Tier 3 Reports & standards

02

Why literacy matters — outcomes across a life

Childhood wellbeing, school completion, earnings, health and civic life.

Tier 1 Peer-reviewed studies

Tier 1 Federal and international data

  • PIAAC — Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, U.S. Department of Education / NCES, including the Survey of Incarcerated Adults (NCES 2016-040). nces.ed.gov/surveys/piaac Booklet p.1Presentation

Tier 2 Research and syntheses

Tier 2–3 Foundation and think-tank reports

Tier 3 Reports & standards

  • American Academy of Pediatrics, Council on Early Childhood — High, P. C. & Klass, P. (2014), "Literacy Promotion: An Essential Component of Primary Care Pediatric Practice," Pediatrics 134(2), 404–409. doi.org/10.1542/peds.2014-1384 · PubMed 24962987 Presentation

03

Reading instruction, the science of reading and reading for pleasure

The models, standards and findings behind booklet page 2 — what skilled reading is made of, what New Jersey now requires, and why motivation matters alongside instruction.

Tier 1 New Jersey law and state guidance

Tier 1 Reading for pleasure and achievement

Tier 2 Reading research models

The two foundational models of the science of reading. The Skilled Reading box on page 2 is Scarborough's Rope.

  • Scarborough, H. S. (2001), "Connecting early language and literacy to later reading (dis)abilities: Evidence, theory and practice," in S. Neuman & D. Dickinson (Eds.), Handbook of Early Literacy Research, Vol. 1, pp. 97–110. Guilford Press. Booklet p.2
  • Gough, P. B. & Tunmer, W. E. (1986), "Decoding, reading and reading disability," Remedial and Special Education 7(1), 6–10. doi.org/10.1177/074193258600700104 (SAGE) Booklet p.2

Tier 2 Research and syntheses

Tier 3 Reports & standards

Tier 4 Reading for pleasure — articles and commentary

  • Washington Post (July 7, 2026), "Reading for pleasure builds empathy in children, but fewer kids are picking up books just for the fun of it". washingtonpost.com PresentationWebsite
  • Read to Them, "Reading aloud strengthens emotional intelligence in children". readtothem.org PresentationWebsite
  • IBSA Foundation, "The power of reading aloud in the cognitive and emotional development of children". ibsafoundation.org PresentationWebsite
  • Palm Beach County Library System, "Building bridges: The social benefits of reading for pleasure". pbclibrary.org PresentationWebsite
  • Palm Beach County Library System, "Brain-boosting magic: Cognitive and academic benefits of reading for pleasure". pbclibrary.org Website
  • Mental Health First Aid England, "Reading for good mental health". mhfaengland.org Website

Tier 4 Journalism & commentary

  • Renaissance Learning — 15 minutes of reading practice. renaissance.com Presentation
  • BBC News (2013) — reading for pleasure. bbc.com Presentation

04

The tech effect — screens, attention and AI

What changed after 2012, what the reading research shows about print versus screen, and what is now emerging on generative AI.

Tier 1 Meta-analyses of experiments — strongest evidence on print vs screen

  • Delgado, Vargas, Ackerman & Salmerón (2018), "Don't throw away your printed books: A meta-analysis on the effects of reading media on reading comprehension," Educational Research Review 25, 23–38. doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2018.09.003 · open-access PDF Booklet p.2, p.3Presentation
  • Clinton, V. (2019), "Reading from paper compared to screens: A systematic review and meta-analysis," Journal of Research in Reading 42, 288–325. doi.org/10.1111/1467-9817.12269 Booklet p.3Presentation
  • Kong, Seo & Zhai (2018), "Comparison of reading performance on screen and on paper: A meta-analysis," Computers & Education 123, 138–149. doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.05.005 Booklet p.3Presentation

Tier 1 Brain imaging and experimental work

  • Umejima, Sunada & Sakai (2026), "Manga reading on paper vs. digital devices: Prospective effects on core and supportive integration processes in the brain," PLOS ONE 21(6), e0349778. University of Tokyo. Peer-reviewed, open access; published June 3, 2026. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0349778 Booklet p.3Presentation
  • Umejima, Ibaraki, Yamazaki & Sakai (2021), "Paper notebooks vs. mobile devices: brain activation differences during memory retrieval," Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 15, 634158. doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2021.634158 Presentation
  • Wei, Li, Ni, Li, Liu & Dong (2026), "Learning via short videos impairs memory accuracy and reduces brain synchrony," Communications Psychology 4, 120. Peer-reviewed, open access, with public data and code. doi.org/10.1038/s44271-026-00476-x Booklet p.3

Tier 1 Primary data and strongest evidence

Tier 1–2 Surveys and official statistics

Tier 2 Other print-vs-screen research

Tier 2 Research and syntheses

  • U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory, Social Media and Youth Mental Health (2023) — HHS Office of the Surgeon General. advisory PDF · HHS PDF Booklet p.3Presentation

Tier 2 Preprints and working papers — not yet peer-reviewed

Tier 3 Clinical guidance for parents

  • Johns Hopkins Medicine (updated July 30, 2026), "Social Media and Mental Health Among Children and Teens," expert Q&A with Carol Vidal, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H. (Johns Hopkins Children's Center) and Jennifer Katzenstein, Ph.D. (Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital). hopkinsmedicine.org Booklet p.3, p.4

Tier 3 Reports & standards

  • MIT Ad Hoc Committee on AI Use in Teaching, Learning, and Research Training (2026), AI and Education report, August 13, 2026 (co-chairs Eric Klopfer and Sam Madden), section 2.7, "Augmentation not automation." aiandeducation.mit.edu/report Parent handouts
  • NJSBA — first-in-the-nation information literacy law. njsba.org Presentation
  • EdWeek Research Center (2025) — teacher survey on reading stamina since 2019. edweek.org Booklet p.3Presentation
  • New York City Public Schools, "Guidance on Artificial Intelligence and Screen Time." schools.nyc.gov Parent handoutsBooklet p.3

Tier 4 Phone bans and the swing back to print

  • Circulation increases after phone restrictions — Dallas ISD data via Dallas Observer (July 2026); Newsweek, Pleasure Ridge Park High (Kentucky); GovTech/TNS, Ballard High (Dec. 2025) and American Libraries, Portland Public Schools (Sept. 2026). Dallas ISD: Dallas Observer · Ballard High: GovTech/TNS · Portland: American Libraries · Pleasure Ridge Park: Newsweek Booklet p.3PresentationParent handouts
  • Montclair Local (September 2026), "Montclair school officials introduce policies limiting AI, technology use in classrooms." montclairlocal.news Parent handoutsBooklet p.3
  • The Guardian (2024) and CNN (2026) — theguardian.com · cnn.com Presentation

05

School library programs and school librarians

The impact research, the staffing and equity data, and the professional standards that define a program.

Tier 1 Impact research — strongest design

  • Wine, Pribesh, Kimmel, Dickinson & Church (2023), "Impact of school librarians on elementary student achievement in reading and mathematics: A propensity score analysis," Library & Information Science Research 45(3), 101252 — the North Carolina study. doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2023.101252 · sciencedirect.com Booklet p.2, p.4Presentation

Tier 1–2 Staffing data

Tier 2 Impact research — strongest first

  • Burress, R., Atkins, C., McDonald, B. & Burress, D. (2023), "The Power of Full-Time Certified School Librarians in Missouri: Boosting Student Achievement Across Disciplines," School Libraries Worldwide 28(2), 1–18. journals.library.ualberta.ca · republished in Synergy 22(2), 2024 (open access) Booklet p.4 cardWebsite
  • Lance, K. C. & Schwarz, B. (2012), How Pennsylvania School Libraries Pay Off: Investments in Student Achievement and Academic Standards. Pennsylvania School Library Project. full report (ERIC, PDF) paschoollibraryproject.org/research Booklet p.4
  • "More than 60 studies" — the school library impact research base. Sources: U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (2005); Gretes, F. (2013), School Library Impact Studies: A Review of Findings and Guide to Sources, prepared for the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation (PDF, Pennsylvania Library Association · PDF, Massachusetts Teachers Association); and American Association of School Librarians (2018), position statement "Definition of an Effective School Library" (ala.org (PDF)); and U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (2005), fact sheet "Why Care About School Libraries?" (govinfo.gov (PDF)). Booklet p.4Website
  • Valenza, Dalal, Mohamad, Boyer, Berg, Charles, Bushby, Dempsey, Dalrymple & Dziedzic-Elliott (2022), "First years' information literacy backpacks: What's already packed or not packed?", The Journal of Academic Librarianship 48(4), 102566. doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2022.102566 Booklet p.6Presentation
  • Boyer & Dziedzic-Elliott (2023), "What I had, what I needed: First-year students reflect on how their high school experience prepared them for college research," The Journal of Academic Librarianship 49(4), 102742. doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2023.102742 Presentation
  • Kachel, D. E. & graduate students of LSC 5530, Mansfield University (2013), School Library Research Summarized: A Graduate Class Project. Mansfield University, School Library & Information Technologies Department. full summary (PDF) Booklet p.4
  • Gretes, F. (2013), School Library Impact Studies: A Review of Findings and Guide to Sources. Prepared for the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, August 2013 (31 pp.). full report (PDF, hosted by the Massachusetts Teachers Association) · same report (PDF, hosted by the Pennsylvania Library Association) · Keith Curry Lance’s note on the report Booklet p.4
  • Hughes, Hilary, Allan, Cherie & Bozorgian, Hossein (2025), "School Library Contributions to Student Literacy, Learning, and Well-being: The Latest Evidence, 2014–2023," in L. Marquardt & D. Oberg (Eds.), School Librarians and Principals Leading Together: International Perspectives (pp. 191–208). Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited. ALIA Schools summary Booklet p.4
  • Lance, K. C. & Kachel, D. E. (2018), "Why school librarians matter: What years of research tell us," Phi Delta Kappan 99(7), 15–20. kappanonline.org · doi.org/10.1177/0031721718767854 Booklet p.3, p.4Montclair Advocacy Booklet p.9Presentation
  • Library Research Service — School Library Impact Studies (Colorado and multi-state). lrs.org impact studies Booklet p.4Presentation
  • Lance, Kachel & Gerrity (2023), "The school librarian equity gap," Peabody Journal of Education 98(1), 85–99. doi.org/10.1080/0161956X.2023.2160112 Presentation
  • Pribesh, S., Gavigan, K. & Dickinson, G. (2011), "The access gap: Poverty and characteristics of school library media centers," The Library Quarterly 81(2), 143–160 — library resources and concentrated student poverty. doi.org/10.1086/658868 Presentation
  • First Years Meet the Frames — supporting write-ups by the research team. "What's in a Frame?", C&RL News · Rutgers SC&I project page Booklet p.6
  • Lance & Hofschire (2012) — Colorado staffing-change study (Library Research Service). LRS Closer Look report (PDF) Presentation
  • Lance, K. C. & Hofschire, L. (2011), "Something to Shout About: New Research Shows That More Librarians Means Higher Reading Scores," School Library Journal. National study pairing NCES librarian staffing data with fourth-grade NAEP reading scores. slj.com (2011) Website

Tier 3 Budgets, spending and practitioner surveys

Tier 3 Professional standards and role definitions

  • AASL, National School Library Standards, Second Edition (2025) — American Association of School Librarians. standards.aasl.org Booklet p.3, p.4, p.6, p.7, p.9Presentation
  • AASL position statements — role of the school librarian, staffing, and the definition of an effective school library. ala.org/aasl position statements Booklet p.4, p.7Presentation
  • ALA Framework for Information Literacy and the ALA Library Bill of Rights. ALA Framework · Library Bill of Rights Presentation
  • New Jersey Library Association / ALA — library ecosystem fact sheets. njla.org Booklet p.5Presentation

Tier 3 Reports & standards

  • American Association of School Librarians (2018), position statement "Definition of an Effective School Library." ala.org (PDF) Booklet p.4
  • U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (2005), "Why Care About School Libraries?" fact sheet, March 2005. govinfo.gov (PDF) Booklet p.4
  • Scholastic Research & Results (2008), School Libraries Work! 3rd ed. (also 2005 and 2016 editions). 2016 edition (PDF) Booklet p.4
  • Pennsylvania School Librarians Association, "Research on Impact of School Libraries" — a short list of recent school library research. psla.org Website
  • School library access and funding — when cuts reduce library hours and staff, students lose access, and research links access to achievement. School Library Journal 2026 Budgets & Funding Survey · Gretes (2013), School Library Impact Studies (PDF) Presentation

Tier 4 Journalism & commentary

  • Littman, S. D. (July 23, 2014), "Opinion: Dear Congressman, Research Shows Closing School Libraries and Cutting Certified Librarians Does Not Make Sense," School Library Journal. slj.com Booklet p.4
  • Education Week (2023) — school library budgets explainer. edweek.org Presentation
  • Carnegie Corporation; Information Matters — carnegie.org · informationmatters.org Presentation

06

Student groups and specific populations

Preschool, elementary, middle, high school, and the four student groups on booklet page 6.

Tier 1 Primary data and strongest evidence

Tier 2 Research and syntheses

Tier 3 Reports & standards

Tier 4 Journalism & commentary

07

New Jersey law, regulation and school funding

What the State already requires, what it already prices in, and where the money is reported.

Tier 1 Statute

Tier 1 Administrative code

  • N.J.A.C. 6A:13-2.1(h) — library-media services. nj.gov — N.J.A.C. 6A:13 (NJDOE current code) Booklet p.8Presentation
  • N.J.A.C. 6A:9B-14.14 — School library media specialist (endorsement code 2855). NJDOE SLMS resources Booklet p.4, p.8, p.9PresentationParent handouts
  • NJ Quality Single Accountability Continuum (QSAC), Governance Indicator 14 — whether districts provide the materials and resources students need to access information and conduct research. nj.gov/education/qsac Presentation
  • NJSLS — Career Readiness, Life Literacies and Key Skills, Information Literacy standard 9.3 (in revision, pending adoption). nj.gov/education/standards Booklet p.8Presentation
  • N.J.A.C. 6A:8-6.1(c) — N.J.A.C. 6A:8 (NJDOE current code, PDF) Presentation
  • NJDOE endorsement 2855S (School Library Media Specialist) — nj.gov — 2855S Presentation

Tier 1 State funding reports and district data

  • NJDOE Educational Adequacy Report — the base per-pupil cost model, including the school librarian staffing ratios (1:400 elementary, 1:600 middle, 2:1,600 high school). nj.gov/education/finance · NJ State Library archive copy Booklet p.7, p.8Presentation
  • A Formula for Success: All Children, All Communities, NJDOE, December 2007 — Appendix E, Table 2. nj.gov — full report (PDF) Booklet p.8Presentation
  • NJDOE Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending (2025). nj.gov Comparative Spending Guide Booklet p.8Presentation
  • District User-Friendly Budgets 2026-27, appropriation line 11-000-222, verified against ACFR Schedule C-1a for 51 districts. nj.gov User-Friendly Budgets Booklet p.8, p.9Montclair Advocacy Booklet p.10PresentationMontclair handout
  • Montclair User-Friendly Budget 2026–27 — 0% of the $160 million General Fund budget allocated to the school library line. NJDOE 2026–27 budget page Montclair Advocacy Booklet p.10Presentation

Tier 1 Federal legislation and funding

Federal laws, guidance and reports on federal funding for school libraries since 1958.

  • National Defense Education Act of 1958. Pub. L. 85-864. No funds specifically allocated to school libraries. Website
  • Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Pub. L. 89-10. Title II provided dedicated funding for school library resources (about $100 million at the start) and funded state education department staff who led library standards work. Website
  • Education Consolidation and Improvement Act of 1981. Pub. L. 97-35. Folded library funding into block grants; no federal program funded school libraries specifically after this. WebsiteBooklet p.8
  • No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Pub. L. 107-110, including the Improving Literacy through School Libraries (LSL) program, funded FY2002–FY2010. New Jersey received no LSL funding in 2002, 2006, 2008 or 2009. WebsiteBooklet p.8
  • Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015. Pub. L. 114-95, reauthorizing ESEA. Library-related spending is allowable under Titles I-A, II-A, II-B and IV-A, but authorized rather than required. WebsiteBooklet p.8
  • Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Pub. L. 116-136, March 27, 2020 — $13.2 billion for K–12. WebsiteBooklet p.8
  • Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act. Pub. L. 116-260, December 27, 2020 — $54.3 billion for K–12. WebsiteBooklet p.8
  • American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021. Pub. L. 117-2, March 11, 2021 — $122 billion for K–12, with at least 20% of each district’s share for learning loss. Combined with CARES and CRRSA, about $189 billion; none earmarked for school libraries. WebsiteBooklet p.8
  • U.S. Government Accountability Office, K-12 Education: School Districts Reported Spending Initial COVID Relief Funds on Meeting Students’ Needs and Continuing School Operations, GAO-24-106913 (2024). gao.gov/products/gao-24-106913 Website

Tier 3 Reports & standards

  • Schools Need Librarians — New Jersey school librarian staffing and spending analysis (2026), our own analysis of NJDOE School Performance Reports (2024–25 student-to-librarian ratios) and District User-Friendly Budgets (2026–27). For the underlying data and methods, contact mnrancic@schoolsneedlibrarians.com. Booklet p.8Website
  • Schools Need Librarians — Montclair school librarian staffing history (2019–2026) and proposed Montclair School Library Strategic Plan, compiled by Michelle Rancic, founder of Schools Need Librarians. Staffing history: 5 School Librarians in 2019, reduced to 2 districtwide in 2020–24 and none in 2025–26. The five-year phased plan is our own proposal. For the underlying data, contact mnrancic@schoolsneedlibrarians.com. Montclair Advocacy Booklet p.10Montclair handout
  • Montclair Public Schools Policy 2428.1 Policy 2428.1 (Strauss Esmay district policy portal) — requires library-media services “under the direction of a certified school library media specialist.” Montclair Advocacy Booklet p.10Presentation
  • Montclair Public Schools — Magnet System. Each Montclair school has its own magnet theme. montclairps.org — Magnet System Montclair Advocacy Booklet p.9
  • U.S. Department of Education, ESSER and GEER Use of Funds Frequently Asked Questions. Updated December 7, 2022. Guidance on allowable uses, including education technology. Website

Tier 4 Journalism & commentary

  • Merod, A., "ESSER tech purchases helped keep schools running remotely during pandemic," K-12 Dive (June 2023). Reporting on the Department of Education Office of Inspector General survey of districts (see the OIG entry in section 04). k12dive.com Website
  • "ED Explains How Districts Can Use ESSER Funds on Edtech," Whiteboard Advisors (2024). Describes Department of Education guidance signed by Roberto J. Rodríguez, Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development. whiteboardadvisors.com Website

08

Organizations, standards and campaign resources

Tier 3 Reports & standards

Research and preparation. Data sourcing and research were conducted independently by the founder of Schools Need Librarians, Michelle Rancic. AI tools were utilized solely to organize, structure, and format the compiled information.

How to use this page. Tier 1 and Tier 2 sources are what to cite in public comment, letters to legislators and anything that will be fact-checked. Tier 3 and Tier 4 are for illustration and examples.

A note on this compilation. It is drawn from publicly available material published by government agencies, professional associations, peer-reviewed journals and news organizations. Links are provided for convenience and do not imply endorsement.

Back to the case for School Library Programs

Every figure above traces back to a page on this site — start with why literacy matters, or jump straight to what you can do.

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