Save your Library

The School District of Philadelphia is most obviously in shambles right now. It's heartbreaking that a budget crisis created by adults most adversely affects our kids.

If you haven't been following Philadelphia, here's a few articles:

http://www.philly.com/philly/education/20130506_Phila__school_staff_paint_a_doomsday_budget_picture.html

http://thenotebook.org/blog/135946/superintendent-and-src-chairs-testimonies-budget-hearings

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/germantown-more-news/item/54209-germantown-avenue-businesses-worry-about-impact-of-ghs-closure?Itemid=18

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/54397-philly-pols-empty-rhetoric-leaves-citys-kids-behind



Here's the Readers Digest version:

The School District is in debt - a $300 million deficit. The School District has asked the state for $120 million and Philadelphia City Council for $60 million. Every one says there is no money - none - to bail out the district for the nth year in a row.

The teacher's union has been told that they could see salary cuts upwards of 25%, in addition to making other concessions. There's been no agreement yet, but it won't be pretty.

About 30 schools were just voted to be shut down next school year. I would bet money that more will be closed in the following years.

They have announced that all "non-essential" staff will be cut next year: nurses, counselors, librarians, assistant principals, secretaries.

Sports, music, and after school programs: gone.

This is all of course if no money is found. But even if some money is found, I'm sure we'll still see most of these things come about anyway.


The point? Other than heartbreak? The School District, the schools, and everyone who attends or works in a school, are in for a rough time.

In Library Build news, I've created a guide for others to help save their own libraries based on the work we did at Rowen. Check it out, let me know thoughts. I can easily make changes and edits as people need more information:


http://www.amazon.com/Save-Your-Library-Callie-Hammond/dp/1482705427/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367851716&sr=8-1&keywords=save+your+library+callie+hammond

Updates

 Now that we've finished the Rowen library - though any librarian will tell you that a library is never "finished" - we are currently working on some new strategies, events, and plans.

And we're officially starting a subscriber list!

http://eepurl.com/vEdZL

If you want to receive updates from us, sign up above.
We won't email too often, promise. 

Happy MLK Day!

While Library Build isn't having an MLK Day of Service today, we hope that everyone is out there helping out our kids or schools!

Now that Library Build has completed the work on Rowen's library, we're considering what to do next - but we promise it will be great!

Some things to look forward to:
- A new website launch (new logo and everything, it looks wonderful!)
- A guidebook/how-to for those interested in helping their own community school libraries
- A connection service that allows groups or schools to adopt and partner with Philadelphia public schools that are trying to fix their library spaces.

Have a great day everyone!