Friends of HISD Libraries

"I didn't like reading, & then I was introduced to Encyclopedia Brown, my first boyfriend. I'm reading today because of Encyclopedia Brown."
School libraries help kids read & succeed, but 185+ Houston ISD schools no longer have libraries. 90% of the affected kids live in/near poverty.

"Libraries are places for everybody."
Student isolation & anxiety are increasing - & school libraries offer more than books (print & digital), tech, safe study space, & academic support. But 108k+ HISD students no longer have libraries; 90% of those kids live in/near poverty. Let's do better, TX.

90%+ of the affected students live in or near poverty. Many have little access to print/digital books, technology, literacy/research support, & quiet study space at home, & may not have adults available to read to them.
TX: School libraries help our students read and succeed.
#HISD

“Education is the foundation to build your dreams upon, & that starts with literacy. Knowing how to read helps every aspect of your life.”

115k HISD kids now have no school libraries for books (digital & print), tech, literacy/research help, safe study spaces, & more. Texas: Why?

The Houston library closures continue; 186+ HISD schools now lack functioning libraries. 90%+ of affected students live in/near poverty; these kids most need the books, tech, literacy support, & safe study space that school libraries offer. TX: Libraries help kids succeed; let's support them.

HISD Library Staff: Please join us on Sat 9/13 to pick up some books, hear district news, share successes & challenges, grab a snack, maybe win a great door prize! Kids welcome. Location info coming soon. Thanks for all you do for #HISD students!
#literacymatters #library #books

When she arrived in NY at age 12, her only disappointment with libraries was that she could only borrow 10 books at a time. “Libraries felt like church to me. It felt like a religious experience.”
107k+ HISD kids now have no school libraries. 93% of them live in/near poverty. TX: Let's change this.

Today's libraries are full of exciting resources! But in Houston ISD, a child now can easily go from prek-12th grade without ever having a school library. Slides & worksheets are replacing books. TX: Solid literacy skills, not test prep, are essential for success in school & in life.

“I loved going to the library... And I’ll never forget my librarian, Coreen Harvey.”
Of the 107k+ HISD kids who now have no libraries, 93% live in/near poverty. They read handouts instead of books; reading aloud to students is discouraged. TX: Literacy is critical for success in life.
#johnlewis

"Libraries are the places where book lovers are made."
175+ Houston ISD schools - most in high-poverty areas - no longer have libraries. The district's new, tightly regimented New Education System doesn't allow time for read-alouds, library visits, or reading full books.
TX: Libraries help our kids.

2 librarians with HISD ties were accepted to TALL Texans, a highly competitive library leadership program. Lindsey, an HISD Library Services Coordinator until the dept was closed, now heads Stafford's school libraries. HISD librarian Kaitlyn just earned her MLIS degree in addition to her MLS.

“My life has been inescapably shaped by libraries and books and the knowledge they hold."
2022: all Houston ISD schools were required to have staffed libraries.
2023: TX took over the district; 175+ schools - most in high-poverty areas - now have no libraries, & the closures continue.

“I lost myself in my school library, & I found myself as well. I was deathly shy & introverted, but books gave me something I loved."
175+ HISD schools, incl. Tate’s schools, now have no libraries; 93% of the affected kids live in/near poverty.
TX: Libraries help kids succeed in school & in life.

"When I was growing up in East Texas, my family had no money for books, so our local library was my reading room... There I entered a boundless world to discover more lives to lead than I had dreamed of.” In HISD, kids can now easily go from PreK-high school without ever having a school library.

100% of the students at the pictured HISD school live in/near poverty, & own few, if any, books. 65% speak another language at home. They loved their library, but it (&174+ others) is now closed. HISD libraries in more affluent areas remain open.
TX: All kids deserve libraries.

A young Black girl sits on the floor of a library, reading. She is surrounded by shelves of books. The text says, "Besides books, the library introduced me to something I didn't know I needed as a child: big doses of quiet. My house was filled with the frenzy of nine people... In my home, if you didn't shout, you didn't get heard. But here was a house of books, quiet as sunlight, a place where I could read and think and, most importantly, nurture my imagination." - Sandra Cisneros, author, The House on Mango Street and 11 other books, MacArthur "Genius Grant" Fellow.

“I now know I need quiet in order to create. The world easily overwhelms me. I first noticed I needed silence when I made my first visit to the library.”
175+ HISD schools no longer have these important sources of books (print & digital), tech, research/literacy help, & more.

Friends of HISD Libraries ‪@friendshisdlibs.bsky.social‬ Home Explore 4 Notifications Chat Feeds Lists Profile Settings New Post Search Discover Following More feeds Trending Juneteenth SCOTUS SpaceX Starship Dodgers and Lakers FDA Karen Read Feedback • Privacy • Terms • Help A quote from Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation. He said, "My grand-aunt worked for a family that was much wealthier than mine, and she often brought home high-quality hand-me-downs, including books. Those books transported me to another world—they took me out of where I was and brought me to a place I could only dream about. My favorite books were about art, and I trace my passion for the arts directly back to the time I spent poring over each page." Accompanied by an image of Darren Walker, wearing black eyeglasses and a coat and tie. The caption adds that the Ford Foundation is a $16 billion foundation that seeks "to reduce poverty and injustice, strengthen democratic values, promote international cooperation, and advance human achievement." A quote from Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation. He said, "My grand-aunt worked for a family that was much wealthier than mine, and she often brought home high-quality hand-me-downs, including books. Those books transported me to another world—they took me out of where I was and brought me to a place I could only dream about. My favorite books were about art, and I trace my passion for the arts directly back to the time I spent poring over each page." Accompanied by an image of Darren Walker, wearing black eyeglasses and a coat and tie. The caption adds that the Ford Foundation is a $16 billion foundation that seeks "to reduce poverty and injustice, strengthen democratic values, promote international cooperation, and advance human achievement."

"I am who I am today because I had a pretty remarkable imagination. I dreamed a lot. And I had lots of ideas based on books I read in school."
175+ Houston ISD schools no longer have functioning libraries; 93% of the affected students live in/near poverty.
TX: ALL children deserve school libraries.

Question 1: When impoverished kids don't have books from Pre-K through high school, is it surprising that they struggle with the SAT’s reading/writing sections?
Question 2: Why is Houston ISD closing libraries in its neediest schools, while keeping them in its most affluent schools?

Houston ISD students can now easily go from pre-K thru high school without ever having a school library. 93% of kids without libraries live in/near poverty, & have few, if any, books at home.
TX: ALL students deserve school libraries.

For kids in high-need areas, school libraries are vital sources of books; tech; literacy/research support; safe, quiet study space; activities; companionship.
175+ Houston ISD schools lacked functioning libraries in 2024-25; more will close this fall. 93% of affected kids live in/near poverty.

At least 175 Houston ISD schools now have no functioning libraries. Of the 106k+ students affected, 93% live in/near poverty, & 42% speak another language at home.
Of the 40 most affluent schools in the district, 36 have retained their library staff & programs.

Incorrect. Houston ISD invested $19.5 million in fed funds to upgrade its libraries post-COVID, & required a library on each campus, but since the state takeover at least 175 HISD schools have no functioning libraries.
In many cases the books & other resources are gone, or inaccessible.

TX school librarians have a master's degree & 2 yrs+ of classroom teaching experience, complete a 200 hr school librarianship course, pass a certification exam. They're experts at teaching literacy, research skills, critical thinking, STEM, & more. HISD now has only 28 librarians for 274 schools.

Dr. Harrison's first job was washing hair in her mother's home beauty shop; her love of reading helped lead to a distinguished career. Bright students at 170+ HISD schools - most in high-need areas - now have no libraries. TX: School libraries are smart investments in future success.

Our event included updates on the loss of 170+ district libraries since the state takeover, info about outstanding programs, & remarks from elected officials. Current library staff continue to do a great job of promoting success in school & a lifelong love of reading; thank you!

Last day to register! School library staff: This event's professional learning sessions, vendor fair, special speakers, & more will allow you to explore, collaborate, & learn about trending topics. Info: bit.ly/3ExnSIP Register: bit.ly/44PFeLr.

"I always loved books... I was hungry for knowledge, I guess, & information; I was a curious kid. I still am."
Research shows that school libraries help kids succeed, but 106k+ Houston ISD students now have no school libraries. 93% of these kids live in/near poverty. TX: do better.

"Fostering reading is the most fundamental of our libraries' contribution to the nation's welfare. Libraries are temples of literacy."
173+ Houston ISD schools now have no school libraries. 93% of the affected kids live in/near poverty.
TX: Every student deserves a school library.

The school posted, "Your dedication, passion for learning, & unwavering support for students & staff have made a lasting impact. This well-deserved recognition is a testament to your outstanding leadership & commitment to fostering a love of reading ... We are so glad to have you as our Librarian."

"Growing up, I didn’t have a lot. But when I walked into the library, I saw a world of possibilities. The kind librarians at my school & my local library saw me & made me feel like I could be somebody."
More than 106k Houston ISD kids now have no school libraries. 93% of them live in/near poverty.