Our district  just held an inservice meeting to explore the Common Core Standards. Illinois is among the many states who have already adopted this.

What I saw through my library-colored glasses is an increasing emphasis on reading for information (it is a whole section in the reading area!). I saw an increasing emphasis on reading non-fiction. I saw an increasing emphasis on information retrieval skills.

Within their “key design considerations” is the following:

Research and media skills blended into the Standards as a whole.

To be ready for college, workforce training, and life in a technological society, students need the ability to gather, comprehend, evaluate, synthesize, and report on information and ideas, to conduct original research in order to answer questions or solve problems, and to analyze and create a high volume and extensive range of print and nonprint texts in media forms old and new. The need to conduct research and to produce and consume media is embedded into every aspect of today’s curriculum. In like fashion, research and media skills and understandings are embedded throughout the Standards rather than treated in a separate section.

How will any school do this effectively WITHOUT professional Library Information Specialists?

The Common Core Standards are going to require someone trained in selection and organization and promotion of materials – particularly when we are talking about non-fiction. The Common Core Standards are going to require someone trained to collaborate with teachers on information retrieval and reading for information.

This is NOT the time for districts to cut library professional staff. This is NOT the time for districts to cut library clerk positions, for if they cut library clerk positions the trained professionals do the clerk work and can’t do the professional work needed for Common Core Standards.