JCSP Libraries At Risk
Background
SLARI welcomed the introduction of the JCSP Demonstration Library Project by the Department of Education and Science in 2002 as an innovative and far-thinking initiative that recognised the vital importance of literacy support for post-primary schoolchildren in disadvantaged schools. The success of the project is undisputed. A 2005 report on the Project, Room for Reading included the following findings: significantly improved reading scores among students, increased book borrowing, better school attendance, improved retention to senior cycle, improved concentration levels, and increased interest and motivation. It also found that the school library became the hub of student-centred, positive, innovative and successful learning. There is no doubt that these successes have had a major benefit on the wider communities that the JCSP schools, and their libraries, serve.
We were very disappointed by the recent confirmation by the Minister for Education and Skills, Mary Coughlan TD, that, due to the current moratorium on recruitment and promotions in the public service, the contracts of the JCSP librarians will not be continued beyond August 2010. The saving of the cost of the salaries of a small number of librarians (22) will have a hugely disproportionate cost on the children affected and on their wider communities as a whole. As professional school librarians we know all too well how quickly libraries become moribund and static without proper leadership and skills. We believe that the entire investment of time, energy and resources of the last eight years will be wasted if the librarians are removed from the libraries. More importantly, we believe that this decision will put a limit on the educational opportunities of disadvantaged children. This loss will be most heavily borne by those children and their communities, both in the short and long term.
It is our sincere hope that the relevant government departments will reconsider this decision over the coming weeks and, by renewing JCSP librarians' contracts, allow this enlightened and far-sighted scheme to continue in the form it was envisaged.
In The News
There has been lots of coverage of these issues and praise and support for the JCSP Demonstration Library Project in the traditional media and online on literacy websites, Twitter and FaceBook. Some of this coverage is hightlighted below:
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2/6/2010
Irish Independent:
Jobs embargo threatens cutting-edge libraries:
Twenty two state-of-the-art school libraries are in danger of closing because of the public-sector jobs embargo...
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3/6/2010
David Maybury's Blog:
School Library Funding:
The current state embargo on public-sector jobs may see the closure of 22 school libraries from the JCSP program...
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4/6/2010
Irish Examiner:
Loss of librarians at 30 schools hits students:
The loss of library staff at 30 schools in some of the country's poorest communities could lead to more children dropping out of education, teachers have claimed...
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4/6/2010
Laureate na nÓg Blog:
Statement from Laureate na nÓg - JCSP Libraries:
One of the things this country got absolutely right during the economic boom was the JCSP (Junior Certificate Support Programme) to encourage young people at risk of dropping out of school to stay in the education system at least until Junior Certificate...
Further Reading
If you would like more information on the JCSP Demonstration Library Project you should check out the Library section of the JCSP Literacy and Numeracy website.