SLIDE: The School Librarian Investigation—Decline or Evolution? was a 2020-23 Antioch University Seattle project funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Studies conducted as part of that landmark project included: statistical analyses of more than a decade of National Center for Education Statistics data to assess patterns and trends in school librarian employment at national, state, and district levels, and in-depth interviews of school leaders nationwide to learn why they decided to add, cut back, or eliminate school librarians.
For the 2024-25 academic year, support for the continuation of the SLIDE project was provided by the School of Information at San José State University. With this move—and in recognition of varying employment patterns and trends from year to year and state to state—the project title was changed to The School Librarian Investigation—Divergence & Evolution. SLIDE continued to monitor school librarian employment nationwide and to provide access to state and district data via interactive data tools. It will also studied available data about school libraries and librarians in California.
From 2026, the EveryLibrary Institute became SLIDE’s principal sponsor and partner. The project continues to monitor patterns and trends in school librarian employment at national, state, and district levels and to provide access to the latest state and district level data via interactive data tools. Other research activities may be added as this relationship develops.
Photo credit: Supporting the Infrastructure Needs of 21st Century School Library Programs, IMLS National Leadership Grant project, 2011-12.