This past conference in New Orleans, ALA Council passed several resolutions. One of them you might be interested in is the Youth Council Caucus’ resolution, Out of School Time Library Programs. (For more information on what the YCC is, view this previous post made back in January).
The Out of School time Library Programs resolution;
(1) encourages our members to tell their legislators, as well as local and national organizations and associations, about the value of their library to Out of School library programs and
(2) urges Library Directors, Trustees, School Board member and supervising government bodies to insure that libraries, of all types, dedicate the proper funding to insure that comprehensive Out of School library programs for all children and teens are maintained.
The resolution was moved by ALSC Division Councilor, Rhonda Puntney and seconded by Nick Buron, YALSA Division Councilor, and Sylvia Norton, AASL Divison Councilor.
The full Out of School Time resolution is available here but some points are:
- “The Dominican Study: Public Library Summer Reading Programs Close the Gap†shows that students who participate in a public library summer reading program score higher on reading achievement tests at the beginning of the next school year than those students who do not participate
- research has also connected participation in high-quality Out of School library programs with multiple benefits for young people, including gains in standardized test scores
- according to a study by the Rose Institute at Claremont McKenna College every $1 invested in Out of School library programs will save taxpayers approximately $3
Follow this link to ALA’s Legislative Action Center to find your officials and share the value of Out of School Library programs! You might also consider the following links (Thanks to Lori Special, NC State Youth Services Consultant): National Afterschool Association, YALSA wiki, for information on libraries and afterschool programs, YALS July issue article on afterschool programs and YALSA staff for handouts to afterschool providers.
