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4/14/2026
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Librarians call for passage of bill to guarantee students’ access to school libraries with certified librarians
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STATE HOUSE – Senate President Pro Tempore Hanna M. Gallo and Rep. Rebecca Kislak were joined by members of Rhode Island Library Association (RILA) and School Librarians of Rhode Island (SLRI) at the State House today to call for passage of their bill to ensure every student has the benefits of a school library staffed by a certified school librarian.
“Every student deserves to learn in a school with a library and a librarian who inspires curiosity, embraces diversity, encourages students’ voices and fosters critical thinking. School librarians nurtured my love of reading and helped open a world of possibilities for me. They are trusted mentors who cultivate kids’ imaginations, their independence and their ambitions, offering children everything from quiet comfort to the keys to learning about anything that interests them,” said Representative Kislak (D-Dist. 4, Providence). “I am proud to support legislation to ensure every student has the benefit of access to their school library and a relationship with their school librarian.”
The legislation (2026-S 2078, 2026-H 7417) requires that every public school in Rhode Island has a school library in a permanent and dedicated space, with a certified school librarian to manage and maintain it, provide information resources to students and staff, promote reading and teach information literacy skills. The bill also requires that all schools provide students with access to the school library on a daily basis for book selection, reading, independent work and related activities.
“With the ever-present pressure to cut school expenses, what we are saying today is that school libraries with dedicated school librarians are a necessity, not an ‘extra,’” said Senate President Pro Tempore Gallo (D-Dist. 27, Cranston, West Warwick). “More and more, after years of increasing screen time and app-based learning, we are seeing the importance of human connection to students in schools. Access to information alone is not how kids learn. They need educators who guide them about how to sort through the noise to find what they need, to discern meaning and truth and to see where it fits into their lives. That’s what school librarians do.”
RILA and SLRI members rallied in support of the legislation at an event held in the State Library at the State House today, and hosted tables for members of the General Assembly and visitors with informative displays of current activities and initiatives from libraries and media centers around the state.
“Media literacy means learning to consume, create and evaluate information. Libraries with full-time certified library media specialists ensure these essential skills are woven into daily learning, offering windows to the past, doors to the future and endless possibilities. The Rhode Island School Libraries Act ensures that all of this is possible no matter your Zip code,” said 2025 Rhode Island School Librarian of the Year Tasha White, who serves as library media specialist at Providence’s Alfred Lima Elementary School.
Each April, librarians across Rhode Island celebrate School Library Month, as well as National Library Week to highlight the valuable role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening communities.
In recognition, the bill sponsors both introduced resolutions today honoring those events and the importance of public libraries and school libraries, and recognizing the librarians visiting today.
For more information, contact:
Meredyth R. Whitty, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-1923
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