Libraries ask Senate for support

Jennifer Coleman

Friday, May 21, 1999 | 9:14 a.m.

CARSON CITY - Nevada's school libraries are in pathetic shape, librarians have told a Senate panel considering a bill to give $750,000 to school districts to replace outdated books.

SB32, sponsored by Sen. Bernice Mathews, D-Sparks, would let school districts apply for grants up to 50 percent of their last year's budget. The grants could only be used on books and technology for the library.

Among those testifying on the sorry shape of libraries was Alex Hunt, 10, and Marcella Bryant, 11, both students at Bernice Mathews Elementary School in Sparks.

"When we have book reports to do, we don't have the books in the library to read," Bryant, a fifth-grade student, said. She asked the legislators to "fill the gaps and spaces on the library shelves."

Librarians from Storey and Washoe counties and Carson City told the committee members about that they don't have enough books for students, and those they have are old. Some school libraries have an average copyright date of 1967.

With technology increasing, the librarians said they are forced to spend more on computers, shortchanging the book shelves.

Washoe County librarian Frankie Lukasko showed the committee members a book called "The Story of the Presidents," checked out from a school library.

"The most recent president in this book is Eisenhower," she said.

But Senate Finance Chairman Bill Raggio, R-Reno, said the committee shouldn't tel school districts how to spend their money.

"We're constantly reminded that the school districts don't like us to micromanage them," Raggio said. "We can't make all these decisions up here."

He reminded supporters of SB23 that the state gives $550 million a year to the K-12 system. "That shows a pretty strong commitment from Nevada," he added.

Mathews said she's confident her bill will be approved before the last budget dollar is handed out.

"Over 50 percent of the libraries' budgets go to high-tech, which we need, but this allows them to buy more books," she said.