During community lunch on Friday, July 17th, our friend Josie Silver spoke to us about the Detroit School Library Collaborative (DSLC), an emerging nonprofit dedicated to rebuilding Detroit’s school library infrastructure.
Josie is a school librarian and STEM teacher at the Palmer Park Preparatory Academy in Detroit. She co-founded DSLC with Brian Peck, a school librarian and Spanish teacher at UPREP High School. They had both worked independently to build libraries in their respective schools before joining forces to develop this grassroots organization. Motivated by their belief that every child in Detroit should have access to a quality school library, they help both public and charter schools in Detroit launch new library programs. They also help teachers use library resources within their classrooms.
During her talk, Josie educated us on the troubling state of affairs of school libraries in Detroit. She said that Michigan ranks 46th in the nation for school library funding, and that there are fewer than 10 school librarians staffing the roughly 200 public schools in the city of Detroit.
This widespread absence of school libraries in Detroit has serious consequences for young Detroiters. Josie cited statistics that show that the presence of a school library is the main difference between high performing low-income schools and low performing ones. Take a look at the fact sheet she shared (below) for a deeper dive into the data.
You can listen to Josie’s talk and view her slides below. We also encourage you to watch the sweet short video she shared that features a handful of young Detroiters reflecting on their use of their new school libraries.
Detroit School Library Collaborative received an enthusiastic response at the Green Garage, where our community is passionate about books, literacy, and improving the lives of young Detroiters. If you’re similarly moved and wondering about ways to help out, DSLC could use volunteers and assistance acquiring book carts, shelving, books, and furniture. If you would like to get involved with the Detroit School Library Collaborative, please reach out to Josie and Brian using this interest form.