Experts suggest summer learning loss – also known as the summer slide – can lead to students losing up to one-third of the coursework they learned during the school year. It’s a statistic that has one public library working to support student learning year-round. Summer break is often bursting with sounds of kids letting loose, families enjoying each other’s company, and friends spending adventure-laden days in the sun. Summertime in many households means school’s out and schoolwork is not in.
One-third of books banned from U.S. school libraries tell LGBTQ+ stories. Now, libraries on college campuses and in communities face an increased responsibility to make queer stories accessible. For many in the U.S., Pride Month in June is a time to commemorate and celebrate the advancements of the LGBTQ+ community. But some believe recent concerted efforts to ban LGBTQ+ literature in schools across America pose a threat to strides previous generations of LGBTQ+ people have made toward achieving total acceptance.
The number of banned and challenged books in schools is increasing. Here’s what librarians can do about it. School libraries have provided a safe space for learning about diverse cultures and lifestyles for generations. They’ve been that special place where kids could get extra help on an assignment or take a walk in someone else’s shoes by simply picking up a book. However, the range of perspectives available in school libraries is under threat, as parental concerns regarding content available to their children is backed by changes in U.
