Library Card Sign-up Month is coming to a close. Two years ago, this September event was—to a large extent—unnecessary to me as a classroom teacher in a Florida public school district. Hear me out: At the beginning of each school year (August for most of us in Florida), all of our students received a public library card. Wonderful, right? But that was then.
Now, amidst book ban whack-a-mole, school districts across Florida have quietly not renewed student library card programs in yet another example of the “chilling effect” of policies like Florida’s HB 1467, making Library Card Sign-up Month more necessary than ever. I mourned the loss of our student library card program last week when a student asked if the school library had a sushi cookbook. They explained that their mom was sick and sushi is her favorite food. They wanted to make her sushi because they thought it would help her feel better. While the school library does not have a sushi cookbook, you know who does? The public library.
Last month I spoke about “building and bolstering strong relationships with others that are part of the ecosystem of children, literacy, and libraries,” one of ALSC’s initiatives as part of its 2023–2026 Strategic Plan. On a recent visit to my public library, I decided to ask the librarian who always greets me if it would be possible for library staff to come to our school’s open house to sign children and their families and caregivers up for library cards. She didn’t hesitate: “Of course!” Then—as she smiled—“I think this is the start of something great.” I felt myself grinning in response. While it’s a far cry from universal student library cards, it’s a reminder of the importance of collaboration to overcome barriers like HB 1467.
How are you celebrating Library Card Sign-up Month 2024? Drop a line in the comments or at ktaksier@ufl.edu.
Guest blogger Kelley Taksier (they/them/theirs) is a former classroom teacher pursuing a Ph.D. in special education at the University of Florida. Currently their research focuses on students’ access to texts in public schools. As a part of this work, they collaborate with school and public librarians.
This blog post relates to ALSC Core Competencies I and V: Commitment to Client Group and Outreach and Advocacy.
If you are interested in submitting a guest post, please read and fill out our Guest Blogging Interest Form. Please note that as a guest post, the views expressed here do not represent the official position of ALA or ALSC.