Eide introduces measure to rescue Washington’s school libraries

OLYMPIA – Cuts to school library programs is a national epidemic, and Sen. Tracey J. Eide, D-Federal Way, says that a comprehensive bill she is sponsoring will add much needed funding back to Washington’s libraries.

“Teacher-librarians are becoming an endangered species, some schools don’t even have them on staff anymore,” Eide says. “Libraries are there to allow students to take their education by the horns, and some of them are closed three days a week, we need to solve this.”

Eide’s legislation, Senate Bill 6380, implements a formula that levels the playing field among schools so that students in smaller schools have the same access to resources that larger schools have.

“We expect our students to reach higher standards; at the same time we are taking away the tools to help them achieve their goals. That doesn’t make sense. It’s about giving them good materials, supportive teachers and a better chance at success in life,” said Eide.

The bill addresses funding for new materials for libraries--from software and multimedia to maps and books — marking the first time in history that the state has directly funded these sorts of materials for school libraries.

In Eide’s legislative district, the Federal Way School District cut more than half of their full time teacher-librarian positions in 2006.

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