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Educators warn against proposed cuts to Penncrest SD librarian staff; board asks administration for plan
Summary
A former longtime district librarian warned the Penncrest board that a proposal to reduce district librarians from three to one would sharply curtail student access. The board directed administration to provide a library-access plan by November and update kindergarten enrollment figures before fall scheduling.
At the committee-of-the-whole portion of the Penncrest School District meeting, former district librarian and parent Betty Licky urged the board to reconsider proposals that would consolidate librarian positions and sharply reduce student access to library services.
Licky, a Richmond Township resident who said she served 26 years with the district (16 years as a librarian), told the board the administration’s current plan would leave one librarian responsible for six libraries and would reduce student contact to "slightly less than 30 school days per year" per building. She argued that certified librarians do far more than check out books and that reduced access would harm students’ literacy opportunities.
Circulation numbers and staffing: Patty, identified during the meeting as the staff member who provided circulation data, read annual circulation figures for the district’s schools: "Cambridge Elementary had 10,400 books that went in and out during this year," she said, and reported other elementary circulation totals in the 8,000–10,500 range. The presenters noted high-school circulation numbers were substantially lower than elementary figures. Board members said K–3 rotations would be preserved but acknowledged the district was considering consolidating librarian positions due to budget constraints.
Board response and next steps: Several board members expressed dissatisfaction with the need to consider these cuts but said they faced limited options amid declining enrollment and budget pressures. The board directed administration to return with a detailed plan on how library access will operate under the new staffing model, including circulation projections, by the November meeting; administrators were asked to provide updated kindergarten numbers in August.
What remains unresolved: The district has not finalized a formal staffing action in public minutes beyond the board discussion; the meeting record shows the staffing question under consideration and a directive for administration to report back. Residents and advocates emphasized that circulation and program data should be part of that report.
