Former teacher urges Erie board to post library positions, ensure coverage; board members pledge follow-up

A retired district teacher told the School District of the City of Erie Board of Directors on April 9 that many school libraries remain unstaffed and unusable, and urged the district to post librarian and library-clerk job openings and to create local hiring pipelines for aide positions.

Barb Zimmer, who said she taught in the district for 32 years, told the board that “libraries can’t function without staff” and that if positions are not posted “it’s really disingenuous to say that the positions can’t be filled.” She asked the board to prioritize posting jobs, suggested creating a student pipeline for teacher‑aide roles, and criticized the removal and disposal of library furniture and shelving at the high schools.

Zimmer said high school libraries had been stripped of shelves and that some books and furniture were discarded. She described earlier curricular library uses — grade-level research projects and other assignments — and said those uses had been diminished. She also raised concern about substitute coverage, saying specialists are being pulled to cover classes and that practice undercuts services for students who rely on special-education and English-language resources.

Board members thanked Zimmer for raising the issue. Board member Mr. Harkins told Zimmer, “you deserve a thank you and a salute from us,” and said the staffing shortfall has been discussed as part of the budget process; he noted the district directed recent state funds toward teacher salaries to stabilize staffing. No new board action was taken at the meeting; board members asked administration to continue work on the issue and to include it in budget discussions.

Zimmer’s remarks came during the public-comment portion of the meeting. The board did not vote on library staffing or new hiring at the April 9 session.