Money Matters Have you started thinking about your 2020-2021 budget yet? I’m guessing that 99% of school librarians ponder funding quite a bit in the summertime. Let’s face it, in our school libraries… money matters! Getting books and e-books into kids’ hands is not an inexpensive endeavor. Renewing subscriptions for online resources and setting up library centers creates a dent in even the most generous collection of funds. Fortunately, most of us manage a district budget, book fair proceeds, and an assortment of payments for lost or damaged books throughout the year. Sustaining our programs usually requires every bit of those funds. On top of that, most of us probably dream (and scheme) about acquiring more money to keep our programs growing! Without a doubt, keeping up with the money is an important part of a librarian's duties. In fact, one of the first things a new librarian needs to do is make friends with the school’s bookkeeper. Of course, at my school this fall, I’m the ... Keep Reading...