Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading
This week's question:
This week’s musing asks…
The local Catholic school board is closing its school libraries, and parents and teachers –and even the students– are in an uproar. Budget cuts demanded that the board choose something to get rid of… they choose libraries. As such, many librarians have lost their jobs. And, the board is moving the books to the classrooms, instead. They feel that it is a good solution.
What do you think? Should the schools be without an actual “library” room? Is this a good solution?
My answer:
This is a hard question for me on so many levels. One my boys have been out of school for quite a few years, I understand the economy is hitting everyone hard, the new world of technology and what I consider, and this is my opinion only, common sense. My first reaction was my experience to "the library and it's use" when I was in school and what my sons would tell me when they were in school. It was used as a "free period" to socialize. Any reference material was always done after school at the Public Library. And with my boys, once we had a PC, reference was done in the comfort of home. Access to books, again, was always through the Public Library.
I don't know if removing libraries is a good move, but in this economy, I do feel budget cuts are necessary. And it's not only libraries. My mother and sister resided in an assisted living facility subsidized by the Catholic Diocese, and due to the economy and costs had to close the doors. Some people had been living there for more than 10 years, it was their home and now had to find somewhere else to live. I had to find a new facility for my mother and sister, and unfortunately not one facility I looked at compared to where they were living.
Because of having to deal with something of that magnitude, a library to me, does not seem as important when there are other means of getting books and reference material.
May is being hosted by Mari from Mari Reads
Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her books and is now on tour.
According to Marcia, “Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.”
The Hachette Book Group Doubleday
The Hachette Book Group Doubleday
From Authors
(galley) (galley)
12 comments:
i think that we should be thinking about getting rid of sports teams and things like that before we go turfing out the libraries, for alot of people libraries are places to go and escape, some people only have access to a library at school and if they didnt have that library they would not be the same.
The Book Mystress, xx
ps cute blog
The synopsis on To Be Read Underwater makes it sound GREAT, and I love the variety in your mailbox this week! Enjoy!
Don't forget that school libraries are a necessity to a child's education and promote literacy. Without them, kids will become even more reluctant to read. Often times, parents are not a child's primary inspiration for becoming a lifelong reader--teachers and librarians are. Libraries provide so much more than books & reference materials--they offer social programs such as adult literacy, GED, career searching... Yes, the economy is in terrible shape but should we really cut the budget of an institution that offers so much in one place? P.S. I don't know where this is happening in your area, but I read this same type of article in my city newspaper, so it's probably happening in many more places than we realize.
To Be Sung Underwater and Treasures From the Attic both look like books I would love to read. I'll watch for your thoughts on them.
I never frequented public libraries as a child, the school library was big, great and comfy! It really changed the reading experience for me.
In many urban area, the local Catholic school (and I am a product of an urban Catholic school)is the safest, best alternative. And money is always a big issue. Can parents pay more, can teachers be paid less? If not, then terrible choices have to be made sometimes...sad but true.
But so long as there are public libraries...and parents that NEED to step up to encourage reading..
You have some tempting books this week. Hope you enjoy them all.
Thanks for visiting my blog.
Happy reading!
I'm not sure what age group their talking about, but I think libraries are important in schools, especially elementary school. My son loved going and checking out books all by himself at that age.
Enjoy! your week of reads.
from the bookcover and title i think i would like to read the delta chain, and i like the title of 'my friend request'. happy reading!
Sweet! Mailman came with the perfect deliveries :)
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