Librarians help students navigate an age of misinformation – but schools are cutting their numbers

Photo caption: Nearly 80% of high school students struggle to verify the credibility of a source, a 2016 study found. Photo credit: Hill Street Studios/DigitalVision Collection via Getty Images. The Conversation – November 5, 2021.

School librarians hear the question all the time: Why do we need school libraries and school librarians when students have the internet?

The perception is that a computer and Wi-Fi are all students need for their informational and recreational needs.

Meanwhile, the number of school librarians in the U.S. has dropped about 20% over the past decade, according to a July 2021 study funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Many states, including Arizona, Texas and Pennsylvania, do not fund or mandate school librarian positions. […]

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