Dozens of people packed into the Austin ISD board room Thursday night, storybooks in hand, to fight a preliminary proposal that could strip campuses of dedicated librarians to help close a deepening budget deficit.
The announcement comes days before National Library Workers Day, which is part of the American Association of School Librarians’ month-long nationwide celebrations in honor of school libraries and their keepers. Austin ISD leaders said moving librarians to support roles could save about $2 million and is one of several proposals shared during a board work session Tuesday as district leaders try to address a growing budget deficit that could reach $181 million by next school year if no action is taken. The proposal has drawn pushback from librarians, parents and students who say the cuts could weaken academic support and safe places on campuses.
Other options include eliminating some teacher positions and cutting stipends, academic programs, technology and funding for initiatives. District leaders and board members are expected to gather community feedback in coming weeks before developing a proposal in May and voting on a budget in June.
Despite early cost-cutting, Austin ISD now faces a $49 million shortfall by June, far worse than what was projected last summer. Even with proposed reductions, a much larger deficit looms next year. District leaders are also weighing property sales or leases to bring in about $50 million, highlighting the scale of the financial strain.
The pushback to the new proposal was immediate. Librarians, supportive parents and students packed Thursday’s meeting at the district’s central office to protest the proposed changes. One librarian read aloud “I’m So Happy You’re Here: A Celebration of Library Joy” to the trustees in recognition of School Library Month. Parents testified to the positive impact libraries and librarians had on their children. Dozens left recorded messages in support of librarians.
Michelle Arvesen, mother to two Austin ISD high school students, said she came to support librarians as soon as she heard about the new proposal, jumping into action because she can’t imagine her kids’ school without the librarian.
“When I heard the librarians might be at risk, my heart just stopped,” Arvesen said. “It is an extra person who has known my kids interests and been a great resource, and now that they are in high school is truly the heart and hub of the school.”
Students also spoke for themselves. Mary Margaret Mason, a sixth grade student at Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, said the library played a pivotal role for her when she was younger, and she now frequents her middle school library as a safe space for her and her friends. Mason is a member of her school’s library council and a volunteer at her elementary library. She said she immediately mobilized to testify in favor of librarians’ importance Thursday, bringing her mother along.
“Libraries have always had a big impact in my life,” Mason said. “When I was in elementary school, I was a bit of a loner and I would spend recess in the library volunteering.”
Austin ISD Trustee Candace Hunter noted the librarians’ united front, and recognized the work they have done over the years.
“I want to appreciate the librarians for being here and all they have ever done and continue to do for our school district,” Hunter said. Though the cuts were not on the agenda for discussion Thursday, board members acknowledged the community members who took advantage of the public comment portion of the meeting to express their thoughts on the suggested changes.
Austin ISD is not the only area district to consider changes to librarian positions as part of cost-saving measures. In March, Hays CISD approved a budget that cut multiple librarian positions as part of an effort to reduce spending by $12 million. Across Texas, other districts facing similar budget strain have also chosen to eliminate or reshape librarian positions.
“Because of the state underfunding our schools, there are consequences to that,” said retired librarian and current Austin ISD library volunteer Carolyn Foote.
Foote said she does not think cutting librarians is the most cost-efficient way to save money, saying librarians are highly-qualified professionals who can serve thousands of students in research instruction, database use and reading at a time when schools are struggling with student literacy. Foote, who founded the Friends of AISD Library community group, said seeing local librarians in action has been inspiring.
The financial woes facing Austin ISD have been building for years and have only been compounded by declining enrollment, decreasing property values and a state school finance policy that takes nearly half of Austin ISD’s budget annually.
Prior to the newly-proposed cuts, Austin ISD consolidated schools and leaned into property sales as a means to save money and address a mounting deficit. Last June, Austin ISD reported it had reduced its central office staff by 20% and entered a central-office hiring freeze. At the time, district leaders also said they were working to prevent future cuts from reaching the classroom.
