Tuesday May 07, 2024

Libraries, AI and Senate Bills

Greetings and Welcome to another Potentially Useful episode of the TCAPSLoop Podcast. Today's show includes potential pulitzer prize winning novelist, Danelle Brostrom as well as her ghost writer in this alternate reality, Stephie Luyt. We will be discussing all things Libraries including three school library associated bills currently working their way through Michigan State Congress and how they'll effect our Certified Librarians. We focus on Information Literacy, Artificial Intelligence and of course, Bluey.

Moment of Zen:

“The person who deserves most pity is a lonesome one on a rainy day who doesn’t know how to read.” — Benjamin Franklin

The Letter:

Dear Senate Education Committee Members,

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration and questions about the “Library in Every School” bills that are sponsored by Senator Camilleri (SB741, SB742) and Senator Bayer (SB743).

At yesterday’s Senate Education Committee Meeting, members of the committee asked for data about school libraries. The Michigan Association of School Librarians (MASL) has a wealth of data and we will share some of it below in several forms.

Please reach out if you have questions about this data or would like to meet to have any of your questions answered.

Thank you very much,

Kathy Lester

>MASL Advocacy Co-Chair, Immediate Past-President AASL, Adjunct Faculty Wayne State University

Alexa Lalejini

>MASL Advocacy Co-Chair, School Librarian, Rockford Public Schools

Stephie Luyt

>MASL Advocacy Co-Chair, School Librarian, Traverse City Area Public Schools

Carrie Betts,

>MASL President, School Librarian, Birmingham Public School District, AASL National School Library of the Year

Christine Beachler,

>MASL President-Elect, School Librarian, Lowell Public Schools

DATA ABOUT THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF SCHOOL LIBRARIANS

Correlation between reading scores and school librarians in Michigan

According to the latest data, Michigan 46th in the nation in the ratio of students to school librarians (ratio of 2788 students per school librarian from 2021-2022) and 43rd in 3rd grade NAEP reading scores.

Michigan Study About the Impact of School Librarians

In Michigan, a Library of Michigan research study showed that school library media programs have a statistically significant positive impact on reading achievement in grades 4, 7, and 11. Specifically, this study showed that schools with librarians have 35 percent more fourth graders who score proficient or above than school without librarians (see page ix of the study). The Michigan reading test scores rise with the extent to which the state’s school library programs are headed by qualified school librarians. The relationship between school libraries and test scores cannot be explained away by other school or community conditions at any school level.

The Impact of Michigan School Libraries on Academic Achievement: Kids Who Have Libraries Succeed

Other research and data about the positive impact of school librarians

The Michigan Association of School Librarians has put together a document that summarizes the different ways that school librarians have a positive impact on students and includes links to research for each item.

bit.ly/slibevid

A good article that summarizes much of the research

The article below is a great article that summarizes much of the research.

Lance, K.C. & Kachel, D.E. (2018). Why school librarians matter: What years of research tell us. Phi Delta Kappan, 99 (7), 15-20.

An infographic about the impact of school librarians on students with cited research studies: bit.ly/slheights