With nearly 30% of U.S. schools operating without a full- or part-time librarian, many educators are rethinking how to keep literacy thriving. From classroom libraries to digital reading hubs, schools are finding inventive ways to engage students and families in reading. At Guadalupe Centers Middle School in Missouri, a dedicated team of teachers demonstrates how creativity and community partnerships can bridge the gap—and even foster a strong culture of reading.
The Shrinking School Library Landscape
Across the United States, thousands of schools strive to nurture young readers without the guidance of a librarian or the heart of a library space.
Budget cuts, shifting priorities, and staffing shortages have taken their toll. According to the 2024 Schools Without Librarians report:
- 3 out of 10 public schools now operate without a full- or part-time librarian, up from 1 in 4 just a few years ago.
- 70% of charter schools report having no librarian at all.
- Nearly two-thirds of smaller schools (those with fewer than 200 students) lack a librarian staff.
These trends are most pronounced in high-poverty and high-minority districts, communities where literacy support is crucial.
Research consistently links strong library programs to higher reading achievement and student engagement. When those positions disappear, schools must find new ways to keep the love of reading alive.
School Spotlight: Guadalupe Centers Middle School and “Aztecs Read”
At Guadalupe Centers Middle School in Kansas City, Missouri, this challenge has become a story of innovation and community.
A Title I charter school with 70% of students identified as English learners, Guadalupe Centers has no library or librarian. Yet, its English Language Arts (ELA) team has cultivated a vibrant reading culture through a homegrown initiative called Aztecs Read.
ELA teacher and department lead Christopher Leavens helped launch the program and continues to expand it using Beanstack, an online reading challenge platform. Says Leavens:
“I really think something important is the social aspect of it—kids having the opportunity to see one another read, and trying to make spaces for them to see themselves as readers."
How “Aztecs Read” Builds Engagement
- Digital reading hub: Without a physical library, Beanstack acts as the virtual center of their reading community, connecting classrooms, tracking reading, and celebrating milestones.
- Community partnerships: Students visit the Kansas City Public Library twice a year and earn incentives from local organizations, including the Kansas City Royals, Science City, and the zoo.
- Book of the Break challenges: These reading challenges keep students reading even when they are away from the school building.
Listening to Student Voices
A cornerstone of Aztecs Read is its feedback loop. Each year, students complete a survey that measures their enjoyment of reading, the amount of reading they do, and their book preferences.
Students even help plan how reading achievements are celebrated. These insights, combined with Beanstack data, guide everything from book purchases to grant applications—ensuring students feel heard and represented.
Connecting with Families
The school’s first reading challenge coincides with parent-teacher conferences and a schoolwide book fair, helping families understand the importance of independent reading early in the year.
Working with Rainy Day Books, a local independent bookstore, Guadalupe Centers hosts a bilingual fair offering graphic novels and other high-interest titles that reflect students’ cultures and languages. Families can browse together, buy books, and learn how to support reading at home.
Christopher also shares updates at PTO meetings to strengthen family partnerships and expand the reach of the school’s literacy mission.
Reading Growth and Results
The results are inspiring:
- 55% of students say they like or love reading—well above national averages.
- 54% of students report reading more than the previous school year (up from just 30% when surveys began).
- Students logged an impressive 100,000 reading minutes during the program’s first year.
At Guadalupe Centers, reading isn’t confined to a library; it’s a shared identity and a community movement.
What Schools Can Do: Practical Strategies
Even without a librarian, schools can cultivate a strong reading culture. Here are eight strategies that work:
- Create a Central Hub for Reading
Use tools like Beanstack or Google Classroom to track reading, share book lists, and spotlight student recommendations, creating a “virtual library commons” for your school. - Run Seasonal Reading Challenges
Host schoolwide or classroom-based reading campaigns tied to holidays or breaks. Recognize participation with certificates or small prizes. - Empower Student Voice
Gather feedback through surveys or informal conversations. Let students help select reading challenge themes or choose books for class libraries. - Build Classroom Libraries
Encourage teachers to curate small, diverse collections. Rotate books across rooms and include bilingual, high-interest titles. - Partner with Public Libraries and Local Businesses
Organize field trips, library card drives, or partner-sponsored reading incentives. - Engage Families
Host book fairs, reading nights, or family reading challenges. Encourage at-home reading rituals. - Leverage Data for Grants
Utilize reading challenge metrics, including minutes logged, participation rates, and survey data, to support grant applications or literacy funding initiatives. - Build a Collaborative Reading Team
Form a “reading culture committee” of teachers, administrators, and parents to coordinate initiatives and celebrate success.
Why It Matters
No app or program can replace a school librarian's expertise, but their spirit can live on through creative collaboration.
When educators collectively own a reading culture, they build what every library stands for: belonging, curiosity, and connection. A strong reading culture doesn’t depend on the size of your library; it depends on the size of your commitment to helping every child find their story.
If your school is one of the many without a librarian, take heart; you’re not alone and you’re not powerless.
Start small:
- Launch a reading challenge.
- Curate a few shelves of student-recommended books.
- Invite families to join in.
Each small step strengthens your school’s reading ecosystem—together, they can spark a lifelong love of reading.
Contact our team today to learn more about how Beanstack can support your reading culture.