‘A first step, but a significant step’: Grant to help restore libraries in Philly schools

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia School District has been awarded a federal grant to devise a plan to bring libraries and librarians back to city schools.

In a district with 218 schools, Philadelphia has only two full-time librarians following years of funding cuts and downsizing. But the district and a group of library advocates have been awarded a $149,120 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian grant to study how big cities like Philadelphia can restore libraries to schools.

"We know that a lot of our elementary schools have no school library at all," said Deb Kachel of the Philadelphia Alliance to Restore School Librarians , or, PARSL. The grassroots group is joining the district in drawing up the library plan.

Even if students have internet access they still need guidance, Kachel said.

"Having access to so much information online is both a blessing and a curse," she told KYW Newsradio. "They have to understand how to search for really reliable and trustworthy information. So that is a big piece that school librarians teach."

To start, the school district is hiring a library director.

"I'm really excited about this. It's a first step, but it's a significant step," said Superintendent Tony Watlington. "We're beginning to have a vision about how to restore more libraries in the city."

Kachel says PARSL and the district will consult with cities that have regrown the ranks of their librarians, with the goal of drafting a plan that can be used as a model for other urban districts. Kachel says PARSL and the district will also use the grant to develop a pipeline for interested teachers to become certified librarians.