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Board approves McFarland School District three‑year library and technology plan
Summary
The McFarland School District board unanimously approved a district three‑year library and technology plan that emphasizes 'genrefication' of collections, shared district licensing and use of Common School Fund resources; board vote was 5‑0.
The McFarland School District Board of Education voted unanimously Monday to adopt a three‑year library and technology plan developed by the district library team.
The plan, presented by district library staff and building librarians, sets two districtwide priorities for 2024–27: reorganizing portions of K‑12 collections by genre to increase student browsing and circulation, and coordinating district purchasing to take advantage of volume discounts on digital licenses. Board members approved the plan by motion; the vote was 5‑0.
District staff said the plan responds to new Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) guidance that requires school library and technology plans and aligns with the Future Ready libraries framework many staff previously studied. Presenters included Amy Martin (librarian, Conrad Albion Primary School), Joan Evans (library media specialist, Wabissa Intermediate School), Lucas Franklin (librarian, Indian Mound Middle School), Kylie Oguno (KA EdTech) and Sheila (district library staff member). They described work already underway at each building and a timeline for completing genre‑based reorganization in selected sections by the 2027–28 school year.
Administrators told the board the plan will use two funding streams. The Common School Fund — a state trust funded by public land leases and related revenues — provides per‑pupil allocations for eligible library materials; presenters said the district received roughly $56 per pupil in the most recent distribution. The Common School Fund, they emphasized, does not pay for shelving, signage, furniture or processing costs; those items would come from the district supply budget. Staff said the Common School Fund dollars must be spent within the school year (they advised aiming to spend within the first two-thirds of the year) and that district budgeting practices will continue to support site needs.
Board members asked staff about implementation, staffing and measuring impact. Librarians said early tracking shows circulation increases on materials displayed face‑out by genre and that professional development is needed to support staff. Staff recommended continued investment in library staffing and reiterated that some positions reduced in prior years would require offsets to restore.
The motion to approve the plan was made from the board and seconded; the board voted 5‑0 in favor.
