EDITORIAL: SNL continues to work to restore active, fully staffed and fully funded school libraries across HISD. Every student on every campus deserves access to the variety of reading opportunities a library provides, and so many of our students have no way to access public library resources. This issue focuses both on the RIGHTS students have to libraries, and the reasons they NEED that access. We also include at the end tips anyone can use to fight censorship.

​Declaration for the Right to School Libraries 
     - 2016, East Early College HS
HISD has had a strong and vibrant library program in almost all schools across the district since the 1950's with support from strong library leaders. Under the TEA appointed superintendent, HISD libraries have lost their library leadership at the district level and experienced closed libraries in all of the NES campuses. The current administration is so focused on test scores that students across the district are not being encouraged (or even allowed!) to read entire books in libraries or in classrooms, or to become independent learners. 

Just 8 years ago - 2016, 3 years before the state takeover effort began, students at East Early College High School made​ THIS VIDEO: “We declare and affirm our right to quality school libraries.” The Declaration to which they refer is linked in its entirety in the title of this section. It spells out the power of school libraries to encourage lifelong learning and strong citizenship skills. HISD has forgotten what these students knew - SNL is working every day to remind them. Let’s all resolve in 2025 to stand with these students, and those still in HISD schools, to remind HISD how much school libraries matter. These kids are now beyond college age and working in our city or the wider world using the literacy skills their school library supported, but their cousins, neighbors and children are still in HISD trying to learn in difficult conditions.

Can school librarians make a difference in literacy rates?
This Dec 26, 2024 headline in El Defensor Chieftain (Socorro NM) caught my eye. The first two paragraphs include these two sentences: “Last month, the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) released its Vistas scores for the 2023-2024 academic year. The results showed that 39% of students in the state are proficient or above in reading, with the Magdalena and Socorro districts at 30% and 36%, respectively.” And “When I reviewed their [Magdalena] NM Vista scores, I wasn’t surprised to find that the school with a librarian had a 60% proficiency in reading and was the highest score in the district.” This data illustrates CORRELATION between a librarian and higher reading scores rather than proving that the librarian’s work caused the improvement. This correlation has remained consistent for thirty years - the SECOND Colorado study is dated 2000 (School Libraries Impact Studies), and many other states have replicated these results in the years since. Even Texas has supporting data from 2001 (Texas School Libraries: Standards, Resources, Services, and Students' Performance). SNL is dedicated to continuing to raise awareness of how much school libraries matter to student success and literacy skills.

​Teens Choosing to Read: Fostering Social, Emotional, and Intellectual Growth Through Books
I just discovered this review of a title by Gay Ivey and Peter Johnston offers data in support of sustained silent reading. “This accessible book offers an engaging account of a 4-year study of adolescents who went from reluctant to enthusiastic readers. These youth reported that reading not only helped them manage their stress, but also helped them negotiate happier, more meaningful lives. This amazing transformation occurred when their teachers simply allowed them to select their own books, invited them to read with no strings attached, and provided time for them to do so. These students, nearly all of whom reported a previously negative relationship with reading, began to read voraciously inside and outside of school; performed better on state tests; and transformed their personal, relational, emotional, and moral lives in the process.” Isn’t this what we want for our HISD students, and not just the high schoolers.

​SEAT (Students Engaged in Advancing Texas) has just published a Student Bill of Rights. We offer it here so that more families and students will know it exists and  use it when they can. Libraries are mentioned in #2 and #6. Please share this forward.

Authors Against Book Bans offers this flyer which stresses many benefits that accrue to READERS. Those benefits don’t just  come from banned books. They come from ALL books. HISD students NEED LIBRARIES to access a wide variety of books that support their personal interests.

​56 Small Tasks to Be Proactive Against Book Censorship in 2025
A group of speakers attended the December HISD Board of Managers meeting to rant against several books they found in school library catalogs online. Listen to the recording of the meeting if you need details. This community has a responsibility to stand for the Freedom to Read. Students of all ages deserve the opportunity to read challenging ideas, and all parents retain the right to supervise which titles they read. As mentioned above in this newsletters, students are better prepared for the world and life challenges when they have read widely throughout their education and beyond. Book Riot offered this article (linked in the title) that includes a Google checklist including 56 small actions anyone can take to support student First Amendment Rights. Pick and choose what is right for you – but speak up. ​Book censors believe that students are harmed by reading a book that is "unsuitable". SNL believes that more harm comes from not being allowed to read, not being encouraged to explore how to follow your dreams, interests, and passions. 

This WE LOVE OUR LIBRARIES video is a heartfelt thank you to the librarians and library services department that worked so hard in 2023-24 to support all HISD students. Thanks to Jessi Heiner for compiling the video for us. 
​With the advent of NES under Mike Miles, Students Need Libraries continues to fight for the return of libraries for all those students. Libraries support literacy in all its forms. Limiting students to only test length passages only teaches them to possibly do well on STAAR tests. LIBRARIES help them to better understand their world in order to become the leaders of coming generations. Raise your voices with ours - we will succeed, but it will take time and persistence from every one of us.