Forbes has reported that U.S. public schools have lost nearly 20% of their librarians since 2000. The shortage, which showed the most dramatic drop following the Great Recession of 2008 has hit districts serving minorities the hardest. Some states have suffered more than others. In Florida’s 67 school districts librarians employed by schools have dropped 27% since 2005, according to one Harold Tribune article. Many professional librarian positions have been replaced with less qualified personnel, requiring employees are only required to have a high school diploma, minimal certification with pay at $14.60 an hour. Several recent studies have indicated that students suffer academically as a result of the loss of professionals in school libraries. Click here to read the full article. Image credit.