Libraries

December 7, 2022

Funding school libraries is a preemptive move against misinformation

Teacher librarians show students how to be discerning users and creators of information and equip them to investigate claims and use a variety of sources to draw their own conclusions.

Lisa Cheby

November 3, 2022

Libraries support us, so we should support them

Libraries help in our children’s education, give access to resources that the less privileged desperately need and enrich our lives with resources for lifelong learning. 

Mantra Roy

October 20, 2022

Kids or cops: who should use this library building?

Kids say the library is a safe place to do homework, read and have fun. City leaders say the building would be better for a police station.

EdSource staff

September 29, 2022

Once again, McFarland city leaders lobby the county to turn its library into a police station

Kenny Williams, McFarland police chief and city manager, said the Police Department is in dire need of space and modernization: “There is no explanation that anyone can give me that providing library service is more important than providing basic public safety service to the community."

Emma Gallegos

September 20, 2022

Cities and towns across California only get the libraries they can afford

California public libraries depend on local funding, creating wide disparities among communities across the state.

Emma Gallegos

September 19, 2022

An island of reading for youth in the California juvenile justice system

A partnership between Alameda County's library, office of education, and probation department has led to a colorful, culturally inclusive library inside the county juvenile hall staffed with permanent staff who try to teach youth a love of reading and learning.

Betty Márquez Rosales

September 9, 2022

Amid community pressure, county blocks McFarland's plan to convert library into a police station

Tapping federal Covid money and other local funds, Kern County rejected a controversial plan to convert the McFarland library in the small San Joaquin Valley town into a police station. The library is expanding its hours from two to five days.

Emma Gallegos

April 18, 2022

A small town in Kern County contemplates turning its community library into a police station

A petition pits the supporters of a county library branch against the small California city of McFarland's plan to convert it to a police headquarters.

Emma Gallegos

April 14, 2022

Where are all of California's school librarians?

California has fewer credentialed teacher librarians in its school libraries per student than almost every state in the nation, a fact that research shows could be hurting students academically.

Diana Lambert

December 14, 2021

Our students deserve better than our woeful school libraries

While classroom libraries offer the best access and public libraries offer the greatest variety, school libraries offer the best of both worlds: convenient access to a wide range of materials for both pleasure reading and curriculum support.

Jonathan Hunt

April 23, 2019

Restorative justice among programs partially saved by Oakland City Council

Oakland Unified to receive $1.2 million from city to help reinstate cuts to Restorative Justice and Foster Youth programs, supplement library funding.

Theresa Harrington

August 9, 2018

Baby and toddler storytime can create a lifetime love of reading

Local libraries help parents to learn early literacy skills through storytime. Children's librarians say storytime is one of the best ways to cultivate a young child's interest in books and encourage lifelong reading.

Ashley Hopkinson

August 5, 2015

Libraries reach out to rural day care homes to help improve quality

The program is part of a statewide effort focused on early education.

Michael Collier

August 12, 2012

Summer programs turning struggling students into readers

Susan Frey