She came to the University of Idaho for a temporary one-year position. Forty-one years later, Lynn Baird, dean of Libraries, continues to serve the university.
The Idaho Library Association acknowledged Baird”s devotion to the field this year when they named her Idaho”s Librarian of the Year for 2015. Nominated by her peers, Baird said she was honored to receive her letter of acknowledgement.
Austin Maas | Argonaut
Dean of Libraries Lynn Baird (left) speaks with Administrative Assistant Sammantha Green (right).
“I just stared at it for a long time,” she said. “It really meant so very much to be recognized by my peers.”
Baird said she also appreciates her peers for all the work they have done.
“I really hope that it”s aspirational for all of my colleagues,” she said. “The award represents the work of many people – it”s not just me.”
Baird said she has interacted with groups and organizations to explain the necessity of libraries in communities all over the state.
While working with the Idaho Commission for Libraries, Baird said she has tried to promote the development of public and school libraries.
“One of the great things about working in librarianship is you have the opportunity to work in collaboration with other groups,” Baird said. “My strongest collaboration has been with the Idaho Commission for Libraries.”
Baird said some libraries face challenges with schools having to cut library employment positions.
“Within schools, there has been a reduction in force in many of those positions,” Baird said. “So many schools have gotten rid of their librarian and gone to a teacher aid “¦ that doesn”t serve the students.”
Baird said libraries play an integral role in the public school system and are a huge part of making the school”s resources accessible for students.
“You have to make materials available before you can have intellectual freedom,” Baird said.
Baird also works to understand the reason behind Idaho”s low go-on rate, which measures how many high school students pursue a college education.
“So let”s follow the whole food chain of events in education.” Baird said.
The chain begins with Book Babies, a program that provides books to mothers with newborns in order to influence early literacy, Baird said.
When children reach preschool, story time programs like Read to Me help start good reading habits.
“We”re trying to really promote that because then children entering kindergarten have better skills,” Baird said, mentioning that only 14 percent of Idaho children entering kindergarten recognize more than three letters of the alphabet.
“I think that those are alarming statistics and I think libraries have a role in that,” Baird said.
Issues with students” reading abilities start early in elementary school and continue throughout middle school and into high school in some cases, Baird said.
She said students who aren”t confident with their reading ability are less likely to find reading fun and pursue it.
“If reading isn”t fun when you”re a third grader, it”s probably going to be even less fun when you”re a sixth grader,” Baird said.
Baird said books should be a fun opportunity to explore different personas and discover a new point of view.
By advocating for libraries in the state of Idaho, Baird said she hopes to give students more opportunities to fall in love with reading, and in turn, obtain higher literacy skills.
Austin Maas can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @austindmaas