Imagine. Our young people read for pleasure. It aids mental health, reduces stress and directly improves exam results - all proven facts. North Lanarkshire Council (NLC) have decided that “deleting” school librarians is the way forward. It is imperative that they overturn this decision.

NLC’s policy to abolish school librarians is an assault on our young people reaching their potential. The human cost of this cost-cutting exercise is unacceptable. 

Ground-breaking inflation is hitting all our purses and quite simply buying books is a luxury very few can continue to afford. It is fundamentally discriminating against our less affluent neighbours. Many working families are already being driven to food banks and uniform banks. Books offer an escape, and knowledge and unlock a child’s potential.

Reading for pleasure, as you know, is directly correlated with increased academic attainment. Teachers cannot backfill this position they are not professional librarians, they do not have the time to retrain, they do not have the knowledge and the job entails so much more than stamping out novels. 

We must fight to save school librarians. 

NLC has been quick to promote the fact that some schools have recently attained Reading School status.  It is interesting that they are now cutting our cherished librarians.

Other councils are retaining their librarians - so must NLC. When it comes to reading and Literacy we don’t need platitudes we need the right people - librarians. Libraries are so much more than just a place to read. They are a safe space for many vulnerable children and often house a variety of lunchtime clubs and/or Future Friday activities.

I implore you to take on this cause as it truly will have a detrimental impact on our young people if it is not overturned. We need to close the poverty gap but this policy will rip a hole you could drive a bus through. 

Literacy is the bedrock of success and our school librarians are the keystones. They know the young people and can suggest books to their taste at an appropriate level of challenge. 

We NEED our school librarians and right now they need us!