SNL IN HISD
  • Site Overview
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    • What Strong School Librarians Do >
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        • Book Deserts
        • Equity of Access Intro
        • Honoring Diversity
        • Intellectual Freedom
        • Critical Thinking
        • Windows Mirrors Sliding Glass Doors
        • Future Ready
        • Closed Library
  • Allies and Supporters
    • 2020 Racial Justice Resources >
      • BLM & Teaching Tolerance
      • A Primer-Racial Justice >
        • Anti-Racism Resources
        • Allyship
        • Black History
        • Voting & Civil Discourse
      • Parenting Resources
      • Diversity in Education >
        • LatinX Resources
        • Gender Issues
        • Indigenous Peoples
      • Young Children - Books & Media
      • Elementary Books & Resources >
        • General ELEM Fiction & Nonfiction
        • ELEM Podcasts Videos & PD
      • Middle School Books & Resources >
        • MS NONFICTION
        • MS MEDIA Resources
      • High School Books & Media >
        • HS NONFICTION
        • HS MEDIA Resources
        • UPPER HS Books
      • Curriculum Supporting Racial Justice >
        • Curriculum by Age Level
    • General Resources for Allies
    • Advocacy Tools for Allies >
      • Information for Parents and Students >
        • Parent Info - Pre 2017
      • Information for Teachers >
        • Teacher Info - Pre 2017
      • Information for Principals and Administrators >
        • Admin Info - Pre 2017
      • Information for Policymakers >
        • Policy Info - Pre2017
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    • Equity, Literacy & Critical Thinking >
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        • Critical Thinking Pre 2017
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      • Digital Literacy Pre 2017
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      • Digital Literacy >
        • Digital Lit for Librarians Pre 2017
  • Contacts
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​SNL Houston   

Speaks  

Out  

Picture

NEW: Racial Justice Resources for SNL Readers

6/20/2020

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Students Need Libraries (SNL) is based here in Houston, one of the most diverse cities in the world. George Floyd grew up here. His name and life are now a catalyst for so much hurt, protest, and hope – hope that the new waves of activism will result in long overdue systemic change. SNL sees the need to work against racism, the insidious assumptions we have all grown up with no matter our racial heritage. In that effort, SNL today opens a curation of resources to our school librarians, and to our school library stakeholders throughout Houston, in support of improving our understanding and implementation of racial justice. We also hope these resources support our K-12 students to understand and appropriately join activist efforts towards racial justice.
 
SNL has been working for Equity of Access as long as we have been active, but recent events raise our compulsion to curate these pages. We hope that librarians will refer here for tools to increase community understanding of the issues and their impacts, and to share these resources with their schools. We also hope that stakeholder allies* of school libraries, and even readers who don’t yet understand how to be stakeholder allies, will also find these pages useful because they will stay easy to find even after the dust begins to settle and the access to these resources begins to hide as the media turn to other topics.
 
These pages published today are just the start. We are working to cull the most appropriate choices for our community of K-12 librarians, teachers, parents and students. Please return often to see what is added as we move towards a more just world.
 
Currently (June 20, 2020), posted pages include:
  • Racial Justice Resources for Houston Teachers and Families
  • BLM & Teaching Tolerance
  • A Primer for Racial Justice (Code Words & Vocabulary; Microaggressions)
  • Allyship: What White People Can Do to Combat Racism
  • Voting Awareness & Civil Discourse
 
Still under construction:
  • Curriculum/Lesson Plans for Teachers and Librarians (Include PD For Librarians)
  • Parenting Resources
  • Materials Ready for Children
  • Book & Media Recommendations (sorted by age)

We thank Velda Hunter, librarian at HISD's Yates High School, and friend James Martin, YA author and bookseller, for their support in vetting the links included.

*A Stakeholder Ally is anyone who supports equity of access by all K-12 students in local Houston public and private schools to fully staffed and fully funded school libraries. Librarians, teachers, parents, community members and students are all stakeholders in the goal of strong education for every student, a goal to which school libraries are instrumental contributors. Houston ISD and other school administrators, Houston ISD and other school board members and elected officials in policy- and decision-making positions are also stakeholders. The Houston community is stronger when EVERY K-12 student has strong literacy skills and a love of learning, both of which are fostered by strong school libraries across the districts.
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From Inequality to Justice through the Lens of the Library

6/10/2020

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Picture
by Debbie Hall
​When I began my career in school libraries in HISD, the expectation was that all schools would have a library and those libraries would be staffed by a librarian. 200+ schools with 200+ librarians. At that time, books were the main offering along with audiovisuals. Over the years, the learning opportunities offered by school libraries have expanded exponentially with the advent of new technologies. At the same time publishing has dramatically expanded to offer young readers and young adults wonderfully diverse and enriching experiences. Today all libraries have so much to share and contribute to education while virtually operating 24/7. It is a great time for school libraries and the communities they serve.
​

Sadly, this promise is going unrealized in many of HISD’s schools. Looking at the cartoon above, I was struck at how this depicts the dilemma we find currently in Houston schools. For me, the apple tree in this illustration represents the library. Some HISD schools have no apple trees (libraries).  This absence represents major in-your-face INEQUALITY.  
No apple trees mean no books/materials for the students. Some schools have apple trees (libraries) but they are staffed by clerks or in some cases teachers who may not be prepared to effectively help students access the apples (books). Schools that offer non-librarian staffing may have achieved the level of EQUALITY that has a tree, but their students are on the side with no apples and a too short ladder; they are not receiving the same services as libraries staffed by librarians. In the illustration, staffing is represented by a variety of tools (ladders and baskets) to help students get the apples (books).
​

Schools in high poverty areas that have librarians and libraries are approaching EQUITY but they still need a taller ladder and stronger funding and resources.  The librarian can support program offerings, but actual books and other resources require budget support to meet the needs of students.

When HISD figures out how to support fully staffed and fully funded school libraries for every campus, HISD will have begun to offer JUSTICE to all students in the form of equity of access and equality of resources.

All students can benefit from a strong library program.  Staffing libraries with librarians helps assure that students will be getting the same educational benefits across the district.  JUSTICE is attained when all students have access to the library no matter where they live, that all libraries are staffed with a librarian, and that all libraries have a well-funded collection that represents the needs and interests of the population served (lots of beautiful apples).  

Where is the JUSTICE in providing libraries for some but not for all? This is a key question for both Houston ISD administration and its school board.

The artist is Tony Ruth: Maeda, John. "Tony Ruth's Equity Series (2019)." CX Report, 2 June 2020. It took some digging to track the actual artist following the tweet trail backwards, but that's what librarians do!
​
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    Author

    This blog is primarily authored by Debbie Hall and Dorcas Hand, but guest authors are welcome. If you have an idea to share, please contact our email below. Debbie is a retired HISD librarian and Library Services Specialist. Dorcas is a retired school librarian who remains active in AASL/ALA. Both support increased equity in school library access and support for all HISD students and campuses.

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  • Site Overview
    • SNL Speaks Out (BLOG)
    • Table of Contents
    • Houston ISD School Board >
      • Libs Surrounding Districts
      • Cost of Staffing HISD Library
      • District I
      • District II
      • District III
      • District IV
      • District V
      • District VI
      • District VII
      • District VIII
      • District IX
      • 17 Children are At Risk/Literacy Deserts
    • What Strong School Librarians Do >
      • 2019 Strong HISD Libraries
      • Impact on Students of School Libraries
      • How They Do It >
        • Certified School Librarians
        • Teaching Expertise Matters
        • Research into School Library Impact
        • Book Deserts
        • Equity of Access Intro
        • Honoring Diversity
        • Intellectual Freedom
        • Critical Thinking
        • Windows Mirrors Sliding Glass Doors
        • Future Ready
        • Closed Library
  • Allies and Supporters
    • 2020 Racial Justice Resources >
      • BLM & Teaching Tolerance
      • A Primer-Racial Justice >
        • Anti-Racism Resources
        • Allyship
        • Black History
        • Voting & Civil Discourse
      • Parenting Resources
      • Diversity in Education >
        • LatinX Resources
        • Gender Issues
        • Indigenous Peoples
      • Young Children - Books & Media
      • Elementary Books & Resources >
        • General ELEM Fiction & Nonfiction
        • ELEM Podcasts Videos & PD
      • Middle School Books & Resources >
        • MS NONFICTION
        • MS MEDIA Resources
      • High School Books & Media >
        • HS NONFICTION
        • HS MEDIA Resources
        • UPPER HS Books
      • Curriculum Supporting Racial Justice >
        • Curriculum by Age Level
    • General Resources for Allies
    • Advocacy Tools for Allies >
      • Information for Parents and Students >
        • Parent Info - Pre 2017
      • Information for Teachers >
        • Teacher Info - Pre 2017
      • Information for Principals and Administrators >
        • Admin Info - Pre 2017
      • Information for Policymakers >
        • Policy Info - Pre2017
    • OpEds and Legislative News - Other Places
    • Equity, Literacy & Critical Thinking >
      • Equity of Access in Detail >
        • Equity - Pre 2017
      • Diverse Choices
      • Reading Matters = Literacy >
        • Reading Matters - Pre 2017
        • Bonus Reading Info
      • Readiness K-20
      • Information Literacy
      • Critical Thinking >
        • Critical Thinking Pre 2017
    • Digital Literacy >
      • Digital Literacy Pre 2017
  • Resources for Librarians
    • 2022 Right to Read
    • Librarian Advocacy in Action >
      • Telling your Story - Basic Advocacy
      • Ecosystem
      • Legislators are Just People
      • Measuring Library Impact
      • Infographics
    • Librarians as Leaders >
      • Librarians Leaders Pre 2017
      • Equity Led by Librarians
      • Libns for Readiness K-20
      • Nurturing Environment
      • Strengthening Your Skills - Personal PD
      • LIB Assn Tools >
        • School Library Standards
        • Future Ready Libraries
      • Curriculum
      • The Research - School Libraries >
        • Research Pre2017
      • S.L.I.D.E. Kachel/Lance
      • Genl Articles LIB Pre2017
    • Literacies >
      • Reading Matters >
        • Reading-Librarians Pre2017
      • Digital Literacy >
        • Digital Lit for Librarians Pre 2017
  • Contacts
  • Intellectual Freedom