LORDSTOWN High school students help keep library open

The librarian position was eliminated by the state-appointed fiscal oversight committee.
By AMY HOUSLEY
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LORDSTOWN -- National Honor Society students at Lordstown High School will be learning a new type of science next year -- library science.
The students have offered their assistance so the libraries can remain open despite the loss of the school librarian position. This arrangement has been questioned by the Lordstown Teachers Association.
At a special meeting by the board of education Wednesday, the board officially accepted the students' offer of assistance, which was first proposed at the May 15 meeting.
NHS students have offered to assist by reading to the younger pupils, helping them to find materials in the library and by serving as role models to the younger pupils.
The librarian position was eliminated by the state-appointed fiscal oversight committee as an additional step to bring the budget under control.
Association's response
Pat Pollifrone, president of the Lordstown Schools Teachers Association and a retired teacher, said the association thinks that the use of peers in the library is fine as a supplement, but specified that "it cannot replace library media specialists."
He cited the amount of training and vast amount of knowledge that a professional staff possesses, including audio-visual equipment and computer research.
The board of education said the libraries will also utilize general program aides, who will carry out support services in both the elementary and high schools. Such aides have been used in the school district previously, and the oversight committee has approved their use.
Costs
The school board estimated that the hiring of two general program aides would cost the district $10,000 for the next school year.
The board said the reinstatement of an effective library/media program is a priority as soon as the fiscal emergency conditions have passed. The board anticipates the hiring of a certified librarian as early as the 2003-'04 school year.
Pollifrone said that the school system lost an $11,000 grant because there was no library media specialist. The salary of the library media specialist who is being replaced was approximately $28,000, so Pollifrone pointed out that the school district is only saving about $7,000.
Pollifrone said he believes cuts could have been made in other areas as a remedy to the fiscal emergency.