Kathy Mansfield

ALT Oppose Senate Bill 232 This legislation will remove the requirement that every school have a trained and certified school librarian. If passed, this will begin a steep decline in the quality of school libraries our students and teachers have access to. Currently, Kentucky is a national leader in providing outstanding school library services. Losing librarians will mean a loss for student reading and literacy, a loss of equitable access to information, and a loss of access to effective digital citizenship instruction. Contact your legislators now and ask that you oppose this bill and support the existing requirement of school librarians and libraries in every Kentucky public school. KY legislative message line: 18003727181

ALT Kentucky is currently a national leader in ensuring that our K-12 public school students have access to school libraries and the specifically-trained certified staff who manage them - school librarians. Two Kentucky laws ensure that our students will be taught in our schools by certified professionals who manage high-quality programs (KRS.158.791 and KRS 158.102). However, SB 232 seeks to remove the requirement that Kentucky school libraries must be staffed by certified teacher librarians. While other educators might share their love of reading and creative uses of technology with students, effective libraries go beyond books to build life-long learners who can navigate the digital world with confidence. A school library not curated and cultivated by a certified school librarian is merely a “book room”. Help us provide Kentucky students with the vibrant educational experience they deserve by OPPOSING the removal of this state requirement. Call your state legislators today to let th