School Library Month

School Library Month is sponsored by the American Association of School Librarians—a division of the American Library Association—and is held each April. The annual celebration pays tribute to school libraries and librarians, who host activities to stress the importance of libraries.Many school library programs celebrate School Library Month in conjunction with National Library Week, which is typically held the first week in April.

Background

School libraries date back to early colonial times. Benjamin Franklin supported having a specially designated room for a library at the Penn Charter School in Philadelphia. One-room schoolhouses, which were prevalent in the colonial times, fostered the idea of gathering books for learning. It wasn’t until the nineteenth century that state legislatures began to fund school libraries. New York was the first state to do so in 1835, and by 1876, nineteen states were funding them.

Early school libraries struggled due to a lack of library facilities and a lack of trained professionals to oversee the libraries. According to the US Office of Education, there were more than eight hundred school libraries in the United States in 1876, with many doing double duty as public libraries. By 1913, there were 10,000 public school libraries, but the number of resources at each was limited. School libraries become more common in the mid-twentieth century when the American Library Association and the National Education Association joined together to develop standards.

Overview

During the early 1980s, members of the American Association of School Librarians began collecting ideas to organize a month dedicated to school libraries. The first observance was held in April 1985 as National School Library Media Month. Lucille Thomas, chair of the School Library Media Month Committee, spurred efforts for the event. The first theme was “Where Learning Never Ends: The School Library Media Center.” The observance began with a ceremony at the US Capitol where Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-New York) gave a keynote address.In 2010, the name of the celebration was changed to School Library Month after the board of directors voted to readopt the professional title school librarian. The position was formerly called school library media specialist.

Modern libraries offer many ways to celebrate School Library Month. Librarians can post library activities to social media or sponsor a book fair. They can also host author visits, either virtually or in-person. Library displays, including books chosen by students, are a common feature of the month. Other activities include book-related crafts and lunch-and-learn events. Librarians can also host events that give the students the opportunity to read different types of books. They can also sponsor a book drive and donate the books to a nursing home or homeless shelter.

Benefits of Quality School Libraries

According to research known as school library impact studies, there are links between strong school libraries and student success. More recent studies have demonstrated that such libraries also affect graduation rates. In a Pennsylvania study, students in schools with a full-time certified librarian did about 8 percent better on statewide assessment tests in reading than students without a certified librarian. Students in schools with full-time librarians were also three times more likely to have advanced writing scores.

In addition, school librarians also have positive effects on overall student academic performances. High test scores were observed at schools where librarians instructed students, planned with teachers, met regularly with the school principal, provided technology support to teachers and provided reading incentive programs. Studies have also found that student test scores increased in schools where the librarian is viewed as a school leader.

Benefits to Reading Regularly

People often read as a form of relaxation or entertainment, but researchers have found that reading also provides many other benefits. Like the rest of the body, the human brain thrives when it receives exercise. Reading stimulates a complex network of circuits and signals in the brain. These networks grow stronger the more a person reads. For example, a 2013 Emory University study found that subjects who read the 2003 novel Pompeii by Robert Harris, had more areas of their brain activated as they read, especially when tension increased in the story. This activation continued for days after reading.

Another benefit of reading is helping the brain stay focused. In the modern world, where technology is prevalent, people are often bombarded and distracted by notifications from electronic devices. Reading can help the mind focus on things for a longer period of time and give a boost to memory. When people read, their minds follow and remember the information they are taking in. Each time a person reads, their minds create new memories of this information and strengthen already existing memories. This effect works for both fiction and nonfiction works.

Reading can also help improve empathy. Researchers have found that long-time readers of fiction develop a better understanding of others. Studies have also shown that a person can improve their understanding of others by reading about a book character’s emotions. Reading can also communication as people are often influenced by the words they read and use them in their own writing and speech. People who read often also have larger vocabularies than those who don’t.

Reading is also a stress reducer. Studies have shown that thirty minutes of reading can lower blood pressure and heart rate. Some medical experts prescribe self-help books in an effort to improve mental health. Even more impactful is that reading has also been shown to increase longevity. A 2016 Yale University study published in the journal Social Science & Medicine, found that people fifty or over who read on a regular basis lived an average of about two years longer than non-readers.

Bibliography

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“First School Library?” American Association of School Libraries, 2024, www.ala.org/tools/first-school-library. Accessed 1 May 2024.

Law, Thomas J. “10 Benefits of Reading Books: Why You Should Read Every Day,” Oberlo, 6 Feb. 2021, www.oberlo.com/blog/benefits-of-reading-books. Accessed 1 May 2024.

Long, Cindy. “Get Students Reading—10 Tips for School Library Month,” NEA.org, 17 Apr. 2017, www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/get-students-reading-10-tips-school-library-month. Accessed 1 May 2024.

Nutt, Amy Ellis. “The Best Reason for Reading? Book Lovers Live Longer, Scientists Say.” Washington Post, 9 Aug. 2016, www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/08/09/the-best-reason-for-reading-book-lovers-live-longer-say-scientists/. Accessed 1 May 2024.

Ross, Tammy, “Top 10 Ways to Celebrate School Library Month.” EBSCO post, 5 Apr. 2023, www.ebsco.com/blogs/ebscopost/top-10-ways-celebrate-school-library-month. Accessed 1 May 2024.

Shumaker, Janah. “Celebrate School Library Month with Bluecloud Course Lists,” Infohio.org, 4 Apr. 2024, www.infohio.org/blog/item/celebrate-school-library-month-bc-course-lists. Accessed 1 May 2024.

“School Library Month History.” American Association of School Libraries, 2024, www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/slm/history. Accessed 1 May 2024.