Almost every middle and high school in Carroll County could be without a librarian next school year as the district cuts jobs to balance its budget.

The 14 media specialists on the chopping block are among more than 90 positions that could be eliminated next year. The cuts are necessary, Carroll County Public Schools officials say, to free up money to support high-needs students. But school librarians and reading advocates warn that the move could be detrimental to students at a moment when learning media literacy is critical.

“School librarians are not merely keepers of books; they are educators, literacy advocates, and technology guides who equip students with the critical thinking skills necessary to navigate an increasingly complex information landscape,” the Maryland Association for School Librarians wrote in a letter to board members on Thursday, urging them to reconsider.

At a Wednesday school board meeting, school officials explained the fiscal 2026 operating budget is out of balance by $3.6 million. On top of that, they need to use $44 million to support students learning English and students who qualify for free and reduced-priced meals as required by the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, a massive set of policies to improve the state’s public schools.

“This is the equity part of Blueprint, where we have to take from areas … of the county that do well and give them to others that are not doing so well,” said board president Tara Battaglia on Wednesday. She could not be reached for comment on Friday.

Other positions on the chopping block include 15 reading specialists and 15 math resource teachers.

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Of the 15 librarians currently in the middle and high schools, 14 were pitched to be cut. The plan is to staff most middle and high school libraries only with media clerks, who are library assistants trained to perform clerical tasks. The 22 elementary schools, meanwhile, would keep their librarians but lose their clerks.

Superintendent Cynthia McCabe said at Wednesday’s meeting that the proposed cuts were not made lightly.

“While the changes we have to make will certainly support a portion of our student body, I do have grave concern about what it will do to others,” she said.

In emailed statement on Friday, the school system said the larger plan to be compliant with the Blueprint not only includes reductions to librarians but to “approximately 280 positions across CCPS over two years.”

The Maryland Association for School Librarians wrote in a letter to school board members that media specialists provide diverse and high-quality resources and foster a love for reading. Research, they wrote, shows that having certified librarians can improve student achievement.

Jacob Gerding, a member of the association, said librarians teach students how to research and introduce them to different genres of literature. They even offer professional development to teachers for accessing databases and other digital resources. And with artificial intelligence becoming more common, Gerding said, students will need to be taught how to use the tech legally and ethically.

The Charles County librarian said the job cuts in Carroll would violate the Code of Maryland Regulations, which says each school library program must have certified school library media personnel and support staff.

While media clerks can assist with some of the library operations, they “don’t have the training to do what a certified librarian specialist would do,” Gerding said.

“Librarians are essential in providing students, even the youngest, with safe spaces and reliable resources to navigate the digital overload of today’s world,” said Trish Brennan-Gac, head of the literacy nonprofit Maryland READS.

She called the role of librarians “indispensable” and described them as crucial partners to teachers and parents who offer “guidance on reliable and age-appropriate materials as well as emotional support in a time of mental health crisis.”

Carroll’s school libraries were in the news last school year as the local Moms for Liberty chapter requested that over 60 books be removed from the shelves because of what they saw as inappropriate sexual content.

Some books were permanently removed, and the board approved a policy that bans sexually explicit textbooks and library books from Carroll schools.

Gerding said he cannot speak to the district’s motivation behind proposing middle and high school librarians as the positions to cut.

The association, however, told school officials the cuts will “risk weakening the very foundation of the students’ education you are tasked with overseeing.”

About the Education Hub

This reporting is part of The Banner’s Education Hub, community-funded journalism that provides parents with resources they need to make decisions about how their children learn. Read more.