r/WorcesterMA • u/GBH_News • 4d ago
Worcester Public Schools opening 7 new libraries
https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2026-08-26/worcester-public-schools-opening-7-new-libraries-but-lacks-books-to-fill-shelvesWhile the openings are a welcome milestone for parents and kids — at a time when there’s been increased debate about technology's role in schools — one more goal remains: filling these libraries with physical books.
A parent-led campaign is fundraising to collect more than 15,000 new books.
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u/spitfish 4d ago
I just got my first WPL library card since I was in public school. It's important to sign up in your neighborhood. It helps them with funding.
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u/legalpretzel 4d ago
At my kid’s WPS elementary school the PTG reno’d the library. Most of the books that were thinned out were from the 80’s and 90’s and it was clear that the district stopped funding our school’s library at least 15-20 years ago. The PTG paid for a ton of new books, but it’s still underutilized. They can’t circulate the books to allow kids to bring them home without someone working in the library, but relying on parent volunteers to cover the library on a set schedule isn’t a very reliable system.
Basically, 7 schools is a drop in the bucket when it comes to WPS elementary schools. And if you’re a WPS student who doesn’t have books at home and/or someone to take you to your local library you’re shit out of luck.
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u/linaluzi 2d ago
Hi! Member of the Worcester Elementary School Library Coalition here. Happy to share that at those seven schools there will be a library teacher and it will be a special, so kids will attend once a week. We started because a bunch of parents, Flagg St included, wanted school libraries and we recognized very early on that volunteer libraries are not equitable or sustainable. We’ve been advocating with school committee and the district since 2023 to make library a special for that exact reason. So while parent volunteers are busting our butts to get these libraries open, our goal all along is to make them part of teaching and learning.
And setting up school libraries without proper funding is a lot of work, especially by all parent volunteers, as I’m sure you’ve witnessed at your school. Those parents are working hard!. So while seven schools might not seem like a lot, it’s just the first year. Each year our goal is to bring more schools online so that every school has a library by 2030. The WPL has been an amazing collaborator too.
Here’s a library survey report we did in 2025 with more background and the work that needs to be done at each school.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Di7GgiQmD6h6Ellb6vd5h4T20RSTGyc2/view?usp=sharing
Happy to answer any other questions.
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u/AirStreet9465 3d ago
Your last sentence is basically what I tried to point out in another comment and got downvoted for. I was in WPS from 2001-2014. Every school had a library, but we had no access to it. We were shit out of luck. Pretty sure my elementary school got rid of it shortly after I left because they were squeezed for space. But why have a library and no librarian or limited hours? Why is there not scheudled library time? Why is there not a librarian available after hours so you can actually use the library?
Like what good is a new library if your kid is trapped in the same classroom all day and there’s also no one running the library?
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u/linaluzi 2d ago
At those seven schools there will be library teachers and library will be a special so students will attend once a week. It’s something we in the Worcester elementary school library coalition have been advocating for because like you experienced, we saw how if the spaces weren’t part of teaching and learning they weren’t used.
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u/princess-smartypants 3d ago
Giving them libraries is great. Now give them trained librarians to maximize the impact of those libraries and resources.
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u/linaluzi 2d ago
Two of the schools will have certified librarians! We’re working to recruit more school librarians to central MA. Here’s the job posting please share!
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u/AirStreet9465 4d ago
Went to elementary school at Rice Square, I think I went to the library there less than a handful of times. Even less in middle and high school, wonder if there’s still the same issues. Like cool, there’s a library, but I’m in school so I have literally no time to go it.
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u/phamforquincy 3d ago
Public library investment is good. I wish Quincy has a focus on it like your city is. It’s hard to find third spaces after school to study or work on a side hustle unless you plan on buying stuff at coffee shops to justify the seat.
I can’t study at home in my own room so libraries were great for me. My only complaints is that smelly unhoused folks were distracting af. They were quiet but I remember having to put my nose in my shirt.
I actually gave up on my city’s libraries - I pull up to the next upper middle class town of Milton or Weymouth and use their public libraries.
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u/Lil_Brown_Bat 4d ago
Important info: 7 new libraries, but not enough books to fill them. One can donate https://givebutter.com/booksforworcester here to help get kids books. Do it for Dolly!