Name: IEA Library Committee
Representation: Any IEA member is free to join the library committee. Library Committee Chair Heidi Robbins, a member of the Jefferson County Education Association, would ultimately like to include two members from each of IEA’s nine regions. Retired members and aspiring educator members are welcome to join the committee, as well.
Creation and governance: Robbins, who is herself a school librarian, initiated the committee through a new business item at Delegate Assembly in 2024. The first meetings for the committee were in August 2024 and have continued at least monthly ever since.
What the committee does: The committee is designed to offer support and solidarity to librarian members who are increasingly constrained by legislation such as 2024’s infamous “library law,” which allows any member of the public to brand a book “indecent” and have it removed from shelves.
Listen to Heidi Robbins
The Library Committee chair talks about library laws and how the committee can help.
“Librarians are scared and need a place where they can feel seen and heard,” Robbins said. “The IEA Library Committee provides a needed space for an essential group of educators in our state. It is a forum for librarians to talk about issues, share experiences, find support and lengthen their to-be-read lists!”
Libraries are often the victims of budget cuts, as well, forcing school librarians to become increasingly resourceful — the committee’s most recent meeting focused on grant writing for school libraries. Currently, all meetings are held online via Zoom so participants from around Idaho can join.
The committee’s sessions are purposefully open to both IEA members and non-members. “As a committee, we want to talk about whatever is important to the librarians across the state,” Robbins said. “Librarians can often feel like islands in their school and district. The IEA Library Committee gives librarians a place to connect and feel a little less alone.”
How you can get involved: The next library committee meeting, a book chat during which attendees can share their favorite books for their libraries as well as what they’re currently reading, will be at 4:30 p.m. Mountain on March 11 via Zoom. If you would like to be added to an email list so you can be notified of upcoming meetings, email the library committee’s IEA staff liaison, Julie Sarasqueta, at [email protected].
