School libraries in Canada face a deepening “crisis” driven by chronic underfunding, staff layoffs, and the shift from traditional book collections to tech-focused “learning commons” strategies, a new report suggests.
Shifting educational funding models have eliminated protected funding for libraries, enabling school boards to slash book acquisition budgets, according to a report released by the Aristotle Foundation.
The “School Libraries in Crisis” report is authored by Dr. Paul W. Bennett, director of the Schoolhouse Institute, a senior fellow of Education Policy at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, and chair of researchED Canada.
The report details a transition from school libraries with book-laden shelves to digital access hubs, collaborative meeting zones, and general student gathering spaces….