Be+Heard!

Be Heard!
2-21-13 Currently we are working on a campaign to write letters to education news reporter, Kim Wheeler from Channel 3 news in Cleveland, Ohio. Use this page to post letters you have written to Kim. In addition, if you have written a letter of support for school libraries to an administrator, school board, newspaper or local TV station, please share. You can upload the file to this page.

kimwheeler@wkyc.com ** Dear Kim; **
 * I am writing to thank-you for the very informative education report about the “Plagiarism School” at Kent State University that aired on Tuesday, February 19th. Increasingly, plagiarism has become a problem in our society. In 2011, the German Defence Minister had to resign after news reports of plagiarism on his doctoral dissertation (http://bit.ly/fGVqNg). An August 2011 Pew Internet report on plagiarism in colleges found that over 50% of college presidents have seen an increase in plagiarism during the past ten years (http://on.today.com/XwpNPH). Turnitin.com, provider of plagiarism detection software, found that the most common type of plagiarism was one in which students copied word-for-word the ideas of another without giving attribution (http://turnitin.com/assets/en_us/media/plagiarism_spectrum.php). The stories in regard to plagiarism are numerous. **


 * I am a secondary school librarian currently employed at Kenston High School in the Kenston Local School District. I am also an executive board member of the state school library organization, the Ohio Educational Library Media Association (OELMA), having served in various positions, most recently as President (2012). I am concerned about stories like the one you recently reported and I am passionate about the value of a strong school library program staffed by a certified librarian. **


 * I specifically would like to urge you to do an education report about the decline is school libraries throughout the state of Ohio and the dire consequences this is having. Plagiarism at the college level is just one of the consequences. There is a solution to this problem. This problem could be eradicated prior to students entering college __IF__, all public schools had a robust library program with a certified school librarian. School librarians are uniquely qualified to teach important information literacy skills; the ability to locate, access and ethically use information. Sadly, in the state of Ohio over the past 10 years, there has been a 30% decrease in school librarians to staff a program that is so vital and necessary in this digital age. Children in low performing schools seem most vulnerable. Poverty in the homes of these students means fewer books and educational resources are available. The school library staffed by a qualified, professional librarian would be able to provide the necessary educational resources for these students. Our state school library organization OELMA would be more than willing to provide any information and assistance you might need. **

** With the advent of the new Common Core Standards and an emphasis on “research to build and present knowledge” and more nonfiction reading, certified school librarians should be at the “core” of the Common Core! Ironically this not the case as school districts are eliminating the one program that can make a difference in these skills. ** ** I am including my contact information and would be willing to talk or meet at your convenience. Thank-you for your time. ** ** Sincerely, ** ** Sue Subel ** Immediate Past President   Ohio Educational Library Media Association   Sue.subel@kenstonlocal.org   phone