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Committee advances two‑site librarian pilot bill to address school library shortages
Summary
The committee voted to pass HB 961, creating a two‑year pilot to place certified librarians at one Oahu complex and one neighbor‑island complex; witnesses described large gaps in certified librarian coverage and logistical limits on staffing.
The Senate Committee on Education voted to pass House Bill 961, which would establish and fund a two‑year librarian pilot to serve one school complex on Oahu and one school complex on a neighbor island.
Supporters urged the committee to address disparities in access to certified librarians. "I was very surprised to learn that only 28% of Hawaii schools have a certified librarian," said Rosa Tui Jr., President of the Hawaii State Teachers Association, who testified in support and discussed how certified librarians support curriculum and information literacy. Mira Garud and other testifiers asked the committee to consider language from a related bill (HB 962) addressing research on librarian impact and neighbor‑island inequities.
Department of Education witnesses noted hiring challenges and asked that any appropriation not adversely affect the department's governor‑approved budget. The DOE told the committee that a certified librarian typically requires a master's program in library science and that few recent graduates choose school librarianship; DOE representatives said certified librarians are normally hired for specific schools and that rotating certified staff would leave home schools without a certified librarian unless backfill arrangements are made.
Committee action: the committee recorded a recommendation to pass HB 961 with amendments and noted the committee adopted that recommendation. The hearing record indicates the committee vote was unanimous with five members present.
Witnesses and members discussed operational details including how a single certified librarian could serve a multi‑school complex through shared services, the expected range of schools per complex (examples given of 6–9 schools depending on the complex), and that certified librarians fall under the same bargaining unit (unit 5). The testimony did not state the pilot appropriation dollar amount or the exact job classification steps; those items were not specified in the hearing record.
Votes at a glance: HB 961, HD1 — Recommendation: pass with amendments; outcome recorded as adopted (5 ayes).
