Resolution Calls for Study of Public School Libraries

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives approved a resolution that urges state agencies to conduct a study on the state's public school libraries. The bill asks that the State Board of Education and the State Education Department conduct research on the number of hours students can access their school's libraries, the amount of up-to-date information that is available, the conditions of books, and if Internet access is available.

State Representative Mark Longietti of Mercer County, says he introduced the resolution at the urging of a group of Shenango Valley librarians and the Public Schools Association. He says that research has shown that test scores are higher in schools where students have regular access to library resources.

Longietti also says that a study would allow the state to better know what schools and programs need improvement on."In order to take the next step what we need is data, and so there's no time like the present to collect the necessary data."

The resolution asks that the Department of Education and the Board make recommendations that the state could follow up on and to hold three public meetings about the study.