There has been an ongoing and pervasive lack of school libraries and certified school librarians in the School District of Philadelphia for decades.
Today, the 217 district-operated schools with over 113,000+ students, who are mostly economically disadvantaged and predominantly students of color, have the equivalent of one full-time school librarian. Yet, two out of three children in Philadelphia cannot read on grade level by 4th grade.
Multiple research studies have found that school librarians and libraries increase literacy, student achievement, graduation rates, and college and career readiness by teaching research skills and digital citizenship skills. This White Paper calls on state, city, and district officials to recognize the research and begin a phased-in, strategic plan to restore school libraries and certified school librarians in all its schools. The provision of an effective and equitable education requires that school librarians with functioning school libraries be restored to serve the needs of students across the district.
This process must begin now.
To help us spread the word click any of the social media icons below. Tag your local representative and the School District of Philadelphia. #librarians4Phillyschools
Read the full PARSL Policy White Paper "Ensuring Equity and Access to School Librarians and School Library Services in the School District of Philadelphia" (opens PDF)
Comments & Feedback from the Community:
“This White Paper makes a clear and compelling case for restoring functioning school libraries across the District. Research consistently establishes that libraries staffed by certified school librarians increase literacy, student achievement, graduation rates, and college and career readiness. This is why well-funded districts commonly have this important school resource while the School District of Philadelphia has only one full time school librarian for over 113,000+ students across 217 schools. We urge the District to follow the lead of other large districts who are working to restore school libraries because of their importance to the future of our children. This glaring inequity must be remedied.”
-Maura McInerney, Esq., Legal Director, Education Law Center
“The White Paper released by the Philadelphia Alliance to Restore School Librarians highlights what we already know: when students can't read proficiently in elementary schools, they fall behind academically, leading to lower rates of graduation, particularly among low-income and black and brown students. Adding certified librarians throughout Philadelphia schools is an important measure that addresses this critical achievement gap and improves children's lives.”
-David Weinstein, Founder and Executive Director, Joyful Readers. Joyful Readers' mission is to ensure that all students gain the literacy skills they need to become successful, confident, and joyful readers. Joyful Readers brings full-time tutors directly into schools to provide daily, intensive reading tutoring to Philadelphia students.
“As a long-time member of the Pennsylvania Governor’s Advisory Committee on Library Development (1990-2023), I have had the opportunity to learn the roles of school librarians, public librarians, and academic librarians. While all of these are important in our society, I came to realize that school librarians have the most pivotal tasks because they have the opportunity and obligation to help students learn how to use information effectively over many years through sequential, well-planned instruction. This obligation is key to preparing our citizens so they may access, synthesize, and apply information for resolving immediate and long-term problems. Given the issues facing our society it appears these skills are desperately needed if the United States is to be successful.
Just to be clear, I endorse the findings and recommendations of the Executive Summary as well as the full report prepared for the Philadelphia School District on the importance of adding qualified school librarians to each school building so they may help you resolve the issues of poor learning. My experience and education says that we can do nothing less if want success for our current students.”
-Larry Nesbit, Ph.D., Pennsylvania Governor’s Advisory Committee on Library Development (1990-2023) Former, Library Director, Mansfield University Library
"The Pennsylvania School Librarians Association (PSLA) fully endorses the PARSL white paper, 'Ensuring Equity and Access to School Librarians and School Library Services in the School District of Philadelphia.' Every student in Pennsylvania deserves the educational opportunities that a full-time, certified school librarian and an effective school library program offer them. Philadelphia, the largest district in Pennsylvania, serves large numbers of marginalized students who are most in need of the library services, instruction, and reading guidance that certified school librarians provide. It is a dire inequity that Philadelphia’s students lack these essential educational services. PSLA stands with PARSL in its efforts to right this academic injustice."”
-The PSLA Executive Board, October 15, 2023