School librarians are becoming scarce in Michigan, as fewer schools employ full-time certified professionals to look after their libraries.
A worrying trend is taking over the United States as fewer students are turning towards majors in the educational industry. According to recent statistics, over sixteen years, the number of certified school librarians in Michigan has fallen by more than seventy percent (73%). Overall the number of professional librarians in the country has dropped by close to twenty percent (20%) since 2000.
Just in the past year, the number of librarians in the area has fallen by more than twenty percent (20%). Such rapid drops in the number of professional librarians speak about an overall tendency of a shift towards more digital resources.
However, even if technology allows for easier access to numerous resources online, the job of school librarians should not become extinct. Librarians have a deep understanding of the educational system and can often provide more detailed and synthesized information than quick online research.
Teachers and school librarians
Librarians are not the only faculty members that decline in numbers. Unfortunately, there are severe teacher shortages in the United States as well.
The reason behind the drop in the number of qualified staff working in the education sector is the low pay. Many teachers and librarians chose to switch career paths in search for better salary and health benefits.
Unfortunately, young adults are aware of the rate of pay in these professional fields, and there is less interest in higher education in such subjects. The combination of these factors results in a severe shortage of both teachers and school librarians.
