Library Media Updates
March 7, 2024

Updates...

Greetings! Just a few, but important updates today...

KASL Summer Refresher

First, the Kentucky Association of School Librarians needs you to share your awesome ideas and expertise! Please use this form to submit a session(s) for the 2024 KASL Summer Refresher. All proposals are due by March 29, 2024.

Second, registration for the Refresher is now open! This part is important. If you are a Kentucky Library Association member, you will potentially save $95 on this 1.5 day of professional learning, for and by school librarians. Current KLA members have already received a discount code. To get this member benefit, you must join the KLA and choose KASL as your section. KLA membership is $65. Joining KLA before registering for the refresher will save you $30, plus you will be a KLA member!

Please contact Summer Refresher co-chairs Claire Lanham or Jonathan Paff with any questions.

State Budget - KETS

You may or may not know about The Kentucky Education Technology System (KETS), but the well-being and future of our educational technology resources directly impact our school libraries and the invaluable services you all provide. KETS is facing a considerable funding shortfall that, if unaddressed, threatens to diminish our capabilities to support our students and educators significantly. Due to KETS funding cuts around 2010, statewide access to the Kentucky Virtual Library was lost—a resource many of us rely upon daily to provide our students and teachers with essential research tools and a wealth of information for their academic pursuits.

Graph Description: The graph represents the annual budget request for KETS (Kentucky Education Technology System). It displays the baseline budget amounts for different years, along with a new requested budget. Bar Representation: There are four orange bars and one blue bar on the graph. Each bar corresponds to a specific year and budget amount (in millions of dollars). Here’s what each bar represents: The first orange bar labeled “2009 KETS Baseline” shows a budget of $19.5 million. The second orange bar labeled “2013 KETS Baseline” indicates a budget of $16.4 million. The third orange bar labeled “Current KETS Baseline” represents the current baseline budget of $15.4 million (associated with the year 2023). Above these bars, there’s a blue outlined box indicating an “Increased KETS Baseline” of $30 million. To the right, there’s a combined orange and blue bar labeled “NEW Requested KETS Budget.” The orange part matches the current baseline at $15.4 million, and the blue part adds up to $14.6 million, resulting in the new requested budget. Timeline: The graph includes a timeline ranging from 2006 to 2023, showing changes over time.

This document, "KETS Budget Request Briefing 02_2024 Update," lays bare the stark reality we face without this essential funding. The gap between the number of devices and people investments continues to widen, with dire consequences for our capacity to serve our learners. This is a pivotal moment for us to unite as a community and advocate for the resources we need to fulfill our mission to Kentucky's students. I urge you to familiarize yourself with the details of the KETS funding situation and share this information with your colleagues, friends, community leaders, and legislators. Below is an excerpt from the document illustrating shared services in danger if KETS funding is not bolstered.

Title: The yellow-highlighted title reads: “What Happens If This Additional Budget Request Is Not Funded?” Stopped Services: Under the “STOPPED” section, it lists services/tools that will cease to be available or offered to students, schools, and districts: eTranscripts availability will be discontinued. Student Online Registration (for every school) will end. Virus protection services will cease. Digital Learning Coach stipends will no longer be provided. Kentucky Virtual Library membership will not be available. Campus Learning and Analytics services will stop. Weakened Resources: Under the “BROKEN/WEAKENED” section, it describes how mission-critical systems/resources will be greatly reduced: Fewer computers will be available for students to utilize for learning. KETS Offers of Assistance will be significantly reduced. Internet speeds may need to be downgraded to slower levels. Statewide Data Systems (such as Infinite Campus and Munis) will be weakened. Staffing gaps related to the People Side of EdTech will worsen. Cyber safety measures will be weakened, making systems more susceptible to cyber attacks. Product standardization efforts will be compromised. Fewer Computer Science Certifications will be attainable.

Public Libraries - Direct Aid

You may have already seen this call to action, but I thought I would share it just in case. The Kentucky Library Association recently asked all library supporters to contact their legislators and ask that Direct Aid to libraries be included in the state budget. You can find this on the KLA website and use their tool to contact your own legislators.

Artificial Intelligence

Jen Gilbert and Kendra Waddell, librarians at Eminence Independent, recently shared this awesome AI resource that they have shared with their teachers. They even provide a Canva template link in case you'd like to customize it for your own teachers. If nothing else, please read the first page, which chronicles some student perspectives on AI. Our students are already using this technology and need our support. Thank you for sharing, Jen and Kendra!

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Library Media UpdatesMarch 7, 2024