The San José State University School of Information continues to advocate for the critical role of school librarianship in K-12 education, most recently hiring school librarianship expert Keith Curry Lance as a research consultant and providing support to further the School Librarian Investigation—Divergence & Evolution SLIDE project, which highlights the evolving role of school libraries nationwide.

Lance co-authored a series of articles on the profession’s state with Debra E. Kachel in 2018 for School Library Journal. These articles led to the Institute of Museum and Library Services-funded 2020-23 study, SLIDE. Lance said, “We designed SLIDE to address concerns regarding the decline or evolution of school libraries.”

From its inception, the original SLIDE project was comprised of three distinct phases: 1) a survey of state school library leaders to gather insight into conditions affecting school librarians, 2) an in-depth analysis of a decade’s worth of National Center for Education Statistics data on librarians at various levels, and 3) qualitative interviews with 49 school leaders across the nation. Lance explained, “These interviews provided a platform for school leaders to share their reasons for decisions made concerning their librarian staff. Some reinstated or added librarians, while others reclassified, combined, or reduced librarian roles.”

As of 2024, SLIDE now focuses on monitoring librarian employment patterns across different states. Lance emphasized, “Our project will continue to study trends impacting school libraries, providing updated data and analysis through our interactive tools.” The project’s website features a variety of resources, including reports, videos, infographics, and a comprehensive set of data tools enabling users to explore the National Center for Education Statistics data.

“The significance of maintaining SLIDE’s data tools current is paramount for practitioners, policymakers, and scholars,” Lance added. “Our aim is to equip stakeholders with the latest information on the profession, helping them make informed decisions.”

Lance’s appointment as a research consultant is pivotal to the transition of SLIDE from Antioch University Seattle to the SJSU School of Information. Lance remarked, “We are marking this transition with a slight name change. SLIDE now stands for The School Librarian Investigation—Divergence & Evolution, acknowledging the many diverging trends we now know are happening from region to region, state to state, and district to district.”

California, a state with a robust data collection system for school libraries, will receive special attention under the SLIDE project. “The collaboration with the California Department of Education will enhance data collection and generate meaningful insights specific to the state,” Lance mentioned. With the SJSU School of Information’s support, the project aims to improve the state education department’s annual survey and response rate, benefiting libraries and librarians throughout California.