Philly public school librarians

Back in 2009, the librarian breakdown in Philly public schools was 77 librarians for 281 public schools, with 75-80% of elementary schools lacking a librarian.  Things are a little different in neighboring Delaware, Bucks, and Montgomery Counties, where almost every public school has a librarian.

Philly's public school librarian problem is a relatively new one; twenty-five years ago, nearly every Philly public school had a librarian.  Inmates of Pennsylvania prisons may be better off when it comes to accessing a library than do Philly school kids, as all PA prisons are required to have libraries and staff.

And then there is the current district proposal, that would do away with the rule requiring librarians in schools with a thousand or more students, so voila, fewer libraries and librarians.

This is all despite a Pennsylvania study showing a link between literacy levels and school librarians.  And despite the fact that 45% of Philadelphia public school students are reading below grade level by the fourth grade.

All of that was fairly depressing, so please enjoy a picture of a little old kitty enjoying a head scratch.