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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Arlene Laverde, Advisor of School Media Program at Queens College
5:13:44
ยท
3 min
Arlene Laverde, a retired NYC educator and current advisor for the school media program at Queens College, testified in support of Intro 1125, which requires annual reporting on school librarians and library access in NYC public schools. She emphasized the critical role of certified school librarians in student success and the current shortage of these professionals.
- Laverde highlighted that NYS law mandates school libraries and certified librarians, but many schools are not meeting this requirement.
- She shared personal experiences of how school libraries impact students, including fostering a love for reading and teaching important skills like information and digital literacy.
- The testimony stressed the need for accountability in hiring certified librarians and the importance of transparency in library access for all students.
Arlene Laverde
5:13:44
Good afternoon chairs and members of the committee council.
5:13:48
Thank you for the opportunity to speak in support of bill eleven twenty five annual reporting on school librarians and library access in New York public schools.
5:13:56
And thank you to the New York City Students who have spoken so eloquently on the importance of school libraries.
5:14:02
I am Arlene Laverde, a recently retired New York City educator with over thirty years of experience.
5:14:08
I have served as president on both the New York City School Library Association and the New York Library Association, and I'm currently the advisor for the school media program at Queen's College, preparing future school librarians.
5:14:22
Throughout my career, I have seen firsthand how essential school libraries are and certified librarians to school student success.
5:14:30
New York State law mandates school libraries in all schools and certified librarians in secondary schools.
5:14:37
Yet, many schools are not meeting this requirement leaving students without access to these critical resources.
5:14:44
Certified librarians do far more than manage books.
5:14:48
They are certified teachers.
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Teachers of information, media, and digital literacy, and champions of independent reading, skills crucial in today's world.
5:14:58
Research shows that independent reading improves student performance across all subjects, and librarians create the environment that nurtures a love of reading.
5:15:08
It is no coincidence that the many of the top performing New York City schools, Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Tech, Bronx Science, Townsend Harris where I just retired from, have certified school librarians running active school libraries.
5:15:23
However, the shortage of certified school librarians is a critical issue.
5:15:28
Queen's College graduates approximately 15 to 20 school librarians each year, yet the demand for qualified professionals far exceeds this number.
5:15:38
Without sufficient numbers of certified librarians, it becomes difficult to place student librarians in student teaching experiences impacting the training and preparation for the next generation of educators.
5:15:50
It's a catch 22.
5:15:52
Principals must be held accountable for their failure to prioritize hiring certified librarians as this directly impacts the quality of education and resources available to students.
5:16:04
I'd like to share how school libraries, specifically my school library has impacted New York City Students.
5:16:13
At Townsend Harris, I will tell you I remember vividly what a student walking into the library with a book and pointed at the cover and said, she looks like me.
5:16:23
This young African American student was like, if there were more books like this, I would read more.
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Well, I took her by the hand and I said, let's find them all.
5:16:34
We walked the library discovering book after book she could connect to, and that moment changed her relationship with reading.
5:16:42
I collaborated with a senior government class to teach constitutional rights focusing on the freedom to read, and I will skip on to the end.
5:16:52
This bill is essential for transparency and accountability.
5:16:56
Every student deserves access to a library, a certified librarian who can help them develop the skills they need to thrive.
5:17:04
Thank you for your time and your support.