U-46 parents want librarians back

Two weeks ago, Elgin Area School District U-46 Superintendent Jose Torres invited feedback on what areas are most critical as Torres and his team prepare the 2011-12 budget.

Parents and staff in the district are already starting to respond.

U-46 parents have started an online petition urging the district to restore library positions that were cut as part of $30 million in reductions last year.

So far, they have collected close to 370 signatures and hope to surpass 1,000 signatures before presenting the petition to Torres and state lawmakers who live in U-46.

“The district seems to be concentrating on literacy,” said Joyce Kosin, a Streamwood mother who started the petition. “It seems ironic that they close the library half the year if they want to get their reading scores up.”

The district last year cut 24.5 library positions, a savings of $1,058,110, according to U-46 spokesman Tony Sanders. For most elementary and middle schools, that has meant sharing one full-time librarian with another building, while high schools cope with less library staff.

Bartlett High School Principal Kevin Skinkis said librarians are needed more than ever because of the wealth of information — not all of it reliable — on the Internet.

“It’s crucial so that students know exactly how to find credible references when doing research projects and investigating projects they are interested in,” Skinkis said. “There is so much content on the Internet, our students get sometimes confused over what’s a credible reference and what’s not.”

Danette Whyte of Streamwood says having a full-time librarian at her daughter’s school is as important as having a school nurse.

“Our librarian is outstanding,” Whyte said. “She knows each individual child. She helps them with their reading. She knows them better than they know themselves.”

District spokesman Tony Sanders said parents’ suggestions will be factored into ongoing budget discussions but that concerns shared with district leaders have not been limited to librarians.

“Certainly if this is what’s important to parents, this will be taken into consideration,” Sanders said. “There continue to be needs beyond librarians. The reductions we’ve had to face affected every department and every employee.”

The school board is scheduled to review initial budget proposals in February. You can view the petition at petitions24.com/u-46_bring_our_librarians_back_full_time.