School libraries in the SRVUSD

As the San Ramon Valley Unified School District approaches another year of difficult decision making, I strongly urge the Board of Education not to reduce any library positions.

In a school district that prides itself in its overall state rankings and that has a specified goal on its website to "increase the academic achievement of all students"; it is imperative to understand that it wouldn't be possible to achieve these rankings or this goal without our school libraries. In fact many studies in the last few years have found that there is a direct link between students' access to school libraries and students' test scores.

School libraries are classrooms where students are taught essential research skills and the 21st Century information literacy skills that they require in order to navigate through all of the resources available to them in this age of "information overload." Students are also taught how to use critical thinking in examining and evaluating various information sources to discern what is authoritative and accurate.

School libraries provide priceless intellectual value to all of our students. To deny them access to their libraries is to lessen their chance for overall success and academic achievement!