The Long Beach Unified School District has proposed drastic cuts to library services starting in the 2026-2027 school year.

In early December, Teacher Librarians and Media Assistants were informed that the district had revised the formula it uses to allocate library staff to each campus. As a result of these changes, most school libraries in the district would be open only one day per week, or roughly 20% of the school year. 18 of the 37 Teacher Librarian positions and 16 of the 20 Media Assistant positions would be eliminated. 

What will it mean for libraries on most LBUSD campuses to be closed for 80% of the year? 

Students will not have consistent access to diverse, high-quality literature, nonfiction texts to expand their background knowledge, or tools such as Chromebooks and printers. Students will not have safe, comfortable places to complete schoolwork, decompress, or meet with their peers during unscheduled classes, lunchtime, or after school. For many students, the library is their safe space and refuge; it is a place where they feel a sense of belonging. 

If access to libraries is restricted as proposed, classes will not be visiting the library on a consistent basis. Teacher Librarians are highly qualified personnel. Teacher Librarians host book fairs, organize reading incentive programs, and help students locate the books that will turn them into lifelong readers. Teacher Librarians teach effective research methods and help students to locate reputable sources, such as online databases. Library lessons also focus on citing sources, identifying misinformation and disinformation, and the safe and ethical use of AI. 

In an era of declining literacy rates and rampant disinformation, libraries and Teacher Librarians are more relevant and necessary than ever. Without their services, students will not be college or career-ready and will not be adequately prepared to be informed citizens in our democracy. 

In response, we urgently call upon the LBUSD administration to reconsider this decision. We propose preserving Teacher Librarian or Media Assistant positions to the 2024-2025 school year level at every school so that the doors of our libraries remain open to our school communities.