Grant helps school library make important purchases
By Leigh Ann Maze
In her 18 years as librarian at Los Gatos High School, Linda Roshon has seen many lean years in which she had to decide whether to use the library's meager state rations on books or a new computer. Thanks to recent appropriations from the state, she has been able to purchase both over the past two years.
In 1998, the state Legislature approved an appropriation of $158.5 million to fund improvements in California public-school libraries. Los Gatos High School received about $40,000 of that money in March 1998. At a Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District board meeting Jan. 4, board members certified Roshon's updated district library plan, allowing her another 40,000 in March 1999.
"The crux of the bill is that the money must be spent to enrich the program of the library and be of use to the students and the staff," Roshon said.
She has gladly accepted this task. Roshon finished a 2-year project of sorting through LGHS's collection of thousands of books at the end of December, weeding out more than 2,700 books which were out of date, repetitive or falling apart.
With last year's money, Roshon was able to purchase 541 new books, eight on-line computer stations, 28 videos, five books on tape, three cassette players, one CD ROM, one globe and three on-line subscriptions.
"Every day, I'm adding new books. I'm just overwhelmed at what this money has done for us," Roshon said, adding that she still has $7,500, which she expects will run out by February.
Roshon was able to purchase the things the LGHS library needed with last year's money, and it was quickly spent. This year, she hopes to spread the money out over the three years she has to spend it, in case the money is not forthcoming for a third or fourth year. Roshon also wants to hold on to some of the money until the library re-modeling project (part of the measure B bond implementation) is complete in 2002. Then, she hopes she will have more room for extra books and computer stations.
"It's a wonderful position to be in to have money to buy what you need," Roshon said. "It's a very unique situation for California public-school libraries."
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
