Amendment to Eliminate the Requirement for School Librarian

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I asked my middle schooler how often she goes to the library and she said rarely and never. I also asked her how she would feel if the library in school went away, and she said she wouldn’t be upset if it went away.

I think the current library model in schools is outdated and needs to become integral and central if we’re going to justify its existence and the role of a dedicated librarian.

So the behavior of your middle schooler is what others should model? Not sure of your logic.

It’s an anecdote and a qualitative data point on how central and essential the library is in the eyes of a current student. You know who students are, right? They’re the people the school system is supposed to be serving.

It’s subjective and likely biased. Stop by your local library to brush up on data.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I asked my middle schooler how often she goes to the library and she said rarely and never. I also asked her how she would feel if the library in school went away, and she said she wouldn’t be upset if it went away.

I think the current library model in schools is outdated and needs to become integral and central if we’re going to justify its existence and the role of a dedicated librarian.

Mmkay. My daughters’ high school had a dedicated library team and many kids go there to study/group study/read during lunch etc. I’d say your child is not the deciding factor. A school without a library/media specialist is a step down!

[Anonymous]

This is a bad sign for MoCo if this passes. Books are equated with knowledge and joy in our school—and media specialists go above and beyond for our students! And don’t get me started on the Book Fair (love this!)
School Nurse who sees what happens in our schools and so appreciates our Library team

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I asked my middle schooler how often she goes to the library and she said rarely and never. I also asked her how she would feel if the library in school went away, and she said she wouldn’t be upset if it went away.

I think the current library model in schools is outdated and needs to become integral and central if we’re going to justify its existence and the role of a dedicated librarian.

So the behavior of your middle schooler is what others should model? Not sure of your logic.

It’s an anecdote and a qualitative data point on how central and essential the library is in the eyes of a current student. You know who students are, right? They’re the people the school system is supposed to be serving.

I have two kids. My oldest is in HS and would have said the same thing as your child when he was in MS. The kid is allergic to books (we tried!). My youngest is MS and is an avid reader. He goes to the media center a couple of times a week during lunch, does book wars, brings books home and would be so sad if his school library went away. They’re both “the people the school system is supposed to be serving.” Your anecdote (and mine) proves nothing.

[Anonymous]

Ugh, just when I thought shit couldn't get more depressing. As an elementary sped assistant, the library is a safe haven for so many of my kids. What a horrible idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CALL TO ACTION: Protect Maryland School Libraries

The proposed amendments to COMAR 13A.05.04 would remove the requirement that every school have a full-time, certified Library Media Specialist. This change would give districts “flexibility” — but that flexibility could mean fewer certified librarians in schools, job losses, and reduced access for students.

Deadline to speak out: March 9, 2026
Email Dr. Chelsea Brewer at [e-mail]

The more comments the Maryland State Department of Education receives, the stronger the message that these changes require reconsideration.
Full-time certified school librarians are essential because we:
- Teach information & media literacy
- Support academic achievement
- Provide access to diverse resources
- Encourage critical thinking
- Bridge the digital divide
- Collaborate with teachers
- Promote intellectual freedom
- Support special education needs
- Build college & career readiness
Create safe, inclusive spaces for students

Reducing the requirement for certified librarians undermines the intent of the Freedom to Read Act by limiting student access to trained professionals who connect them with books, research skills, and diverse perspectives.

Additionally, proposed changes could increase the misuse of Library Media Specialists as classroom coverage — pulling them away from the very students and programs they are meant to serve.

Your voice matters.

Email Dr. Brewer

Forward this to fellow librarians

Share with educators, parents, and community supporters

Every student deserves a full-time certified librarian. Let’s make sure our voices are heard. More info can be found here: https://ow.ly/aCNG50Ypc3r

This link is not working for me - is it just open to MCPS accounts? https://ow.ly/aCNG50Ypc3r

It works for me and I don’t have a MCPS account

[Anonymous]

Our ES school library was a special place. I can’t imagine the school without it. Same for MS in learning to do research. HS library needs to be revamped though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I asked my middle schooler how often she goes to the library and she said rarely and never. I also asked her how she would feel if the library in school went away, and she said she wouldn’t be upset if it went away.

I think the current library model in schools is outdated and needs to become integral and central if we’re going to justify its existence and the role of a dedicated librarian.

Well I will fight your anecdote with my own anecdote. My middle schooler goes to the library every day before school and at lunch, and participates in twice-monthly book wars meetings run by the media specialist. The library has been essential to her middle-school experience.

Same. My kid routinely skips lunch all together to go to the library.

[Anonymous]

I am an MCPS elementary media specialist, too, but I generally have more time, energy, and patience to tackle teaching objectives, collection development, and enrichment activities, both before and after school. However, there is a wide range of experiences to be had, with over two hundred schools. I do think that a lot more could be done to educate the public (and sometime staff) exactly what we do, as it is certainly more than just read-alouds, book shelving, etc etc etc. In a lot of locations media specialists (and their assistants) help run stage musicals, morning broadcasts, talent shows, STEM activities, coding sessions, and that is just scratching the surface. (It also ignores the fact that we often act as school technology support, which is a half-time job all by itself.)

[Anonymous]

There are also studies readily available that indicate that students with access to certified librarians do better on state standardized tests, up to 8%, which is not insignificant.

[Anonymous]

As a parent I don’t understand the need. Each teacher has a full library and then they also go to library? I’ve not been happy with the books my kids get either. They’re not engaging or popular books, the only reason they were chosen was they are diverse. (Which is crazy to me because there’s so many good diverse authors and these were the ones they chose?)

I too think kids should be encouraged to go to the public library. And maybe fund those better.

[Anonymous]

A teacher’s private library is often very small compared to the ten or twenty thousand books found in a school collection. It’s just not comparable at all.

As pointed before, media centers vary greatly from location to location. You can certainly ask your specialist how up-to-date their collection actually is. (It should average around ten years!)

I’m not really following your train of thought, as students have free choice, and are not usually forced to select certain books at all. So that might be a conversation with your child (or school.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Very bad. Not only are public schools not assigning many classics anymore, but if they get rid of librarians too, then a whole fount of literary knowledge goes out of the school system. I understand that a lot of kids don't know whether their media center is, and don't read, but I refuse to accept that schools cannot have libraries with librarians in them, to get at least some kids into reading, and not only that, but to give context to what they're reading.

I grew up with school librarians and school libraries and even though I loved to read and checked books out, I don't remember the librarians ever "giving context" for what I was reading. In fact, I hardly ever saw them talking to kids. Just managing books and checkouts.

If I could only save one, the library to save is the public municipal library, which is much better placed to adapt to changing times. And I think in-school library media center rooms are redundant with them in many cases. It's my impression in my town that foot traffic is dropping at my public library even though funding has remained strong.

I do believe that English teachers can quickly help students to figure out how to find books of interest for free reading. And I've purchased hundreds of book-sale books and donated them to elementary classroom teachers as well. To build in-class libraries for young children. The once a week trip to the media center is far less helpful than what goes on in the main classrooms.

Teaching kids to get library cards for their municipal libraries and to use them to check out digital books might actually be more habit-forming in the long run.

[Anonymous]

My child brings home a book from the media center every week. It is the only book that comes home from the school for reading practice. We like it because it gets her excited about reading. Kids need to learn to read and they need books to learn to read.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am an MCPS elementary media specialist, too, but I generally have more time, energy, and patience to tackle teaching objectives, collection development, and enrichment activities, both before and after school. However, there is a wide range of experiences to be had, with over two hundred schools. I do think that a lot more could be done to educate the public (and sometime staff) exactly what we do, as it is certainly more than just read-alouds, book shelving, etc etc etc. In a lot of locations media specialists (and their assistants) help run stage musicals, morning broadcasts, talent shows, STEM activities, coding sessions, and that is just scratching the surface. (It also ignores the fact that we often act as school technology support, which is a half-time job all by itself.)

If you’re doing all of these other tasks, then maybe there really isn’t the need for a media specialist/librarian role. It seems there is a need for tech support, communications, and STEAM activities.