Texas Librarian Testimony: Losing Sleep Over Senate Bill 13

(This is a guest post written by librarian, Kalyn Gensic. This post was originally written and shared by Kalyn on her personal Facebook page, and is shared with permission, here.)

It is three o’clock in the morning, and I can’t sleep because my mind is replaying the no good, horrible, very bad week I had at work. It wasn’t bad because of the students (they were funny and inquisitive and were happy to talk about all the books with me). It wasn’t my co-workers (Cooper has the best staff - bar none). It wasn’t my district (still proud to be part of AISD). It was because this week, a law made over the summer in the Texas Senate had real, tangible effects on my day-to-day job. My guess is most people don’t know about SB 13, but I think it is something Texans need to be aware of, so I’m going to tell you about it.

First, it is helpful to know a little about what a school librarian does. Last year, I ordered 886 books for Cooper LRC. For each book that I purchased, I read at least two professional reviews. I reject about half of the books I review for purchase, meaning I read thousands of book reviews, and I do this each school year. I keep an AISD library handbook within reach during this process to ensure each book that goes on my list is in compliance. Additionally, I evaluate thousands of books each year for possible removal based on relevance, currency, condition, circulation stats, etc. A book written about AI in 2010 is no longer relevant. If an old classic is tearing at its binding, I remove it to replace it with one of those new, beautiful editions you’re always seeing at book stores these days (teens LOVE pretty books). Some books simply go out of vogue. A librarian “weeds” these books to make room for new books.

Most school librarians, including myself, have a Master’s degree and special School Librarian certification. In our graduate course work, we learn about collection development, cataloging, librarying programming, administration, and the law. So much law. A MLS (Masters in Library Science) is intense and it should be, because what we do is important and needs done well.

But now, under Senate Bill (SB) 13, all aspects of my job have changed. I can no longer order books without approval from a panel of parents called an LSLAC. Additionally, the orders I research so thoroughly must now be posted for public comment for thirty days before I can place them, meaning I can no longer develop my collection in a timely manner that responds directly to my student’s and staff’s needs. I can no longer remove an old, torn-up book from our collection without posting it online for thirty days for community feedback. Additionally, I am now personally responsible for every classroom library on Cooper’s campus. Y’all, it’s a big school.

I could go on. There are pages and pages of law telling me that despite my education, I can’t be trusted. A panel without any training in library sciences must monitor every little choice I make. The public needs to study every book I might remove. And also, even though I can’t be trusted, I’m going to need to double my responsibilities.

After fully processing what SB 13 means for me, it amazes me how much power our legislature really has. They can excerpt tremendous control when they want to. And if you’re a parent and what keeps you up at night is worrying that your kid might one day be exposed to a book you don’t agree with, you may feel great about where the Texas Senate put their energy this summer.

But I don’t think that is what is keeping up parents at night. This week, I’m worried about paying a huge medical bill that resulted from a 30 minute medical test my child had after a sports physical finding. The test came back well - thank God - but the bill will be a heavy lift despite insurance. I’m worried about the guns, so many guns. I’m worried about AI barreling for my kids’ future jobs, and lawmakers twiddling their thumbs as it happens. And I can only imagine the worry of mothers and fathers with infants in a state where the measles have killed two children in the past year.

I could go on. After all, my brain doesn’t want me to sleep tonight. But the point is these are not the issues our legislature found most pressing. They made the choice that the biggest danger Texas children face are the books in my library. Sit with that for a moment.

Then ask yourself, is this what you want from our lawmakers? And if you’re so inclined, maybe say a prayer for your local school librarians. Because as we librarians grappled with all of this, we also learned that we do not get the raises passed for teachers this year. So we will take on all of this new responsibility and give up so much of what we love about our jobs while also getting paid less than our colleagues. Like I said, it was a bad week.

I want to end on a note of hope, but I’m not feeling it right now. What I can say is that come Tuesday morning, I will absolutely love looking around my library and seeing students reading books and whispering with their friends and getting an assignment done. I will help them print that paper for their old-school teacher who still wants a hard copy. I will preheat the laminator for the teacher who is stopping by during her planning period, and I will make sure the AC is running for the evening parent meeting in our AV room.

I’m not sure why I’m considered the enemy by some, but I will keep doing my job to the best of my ability.

About Kalyn Gensic

Kalyn Gensic is a librarian at a high school in Abilene, Texas. When she isn't in her library, she is chasing around her four children and writing novels