Did you know 97 percent of school librarians pay for school items with their own money? On average, in the last 12 months, middle and junior high school librarians used $423 of their own funds! These numbers come from a recent School Library Journal poll of 353 respondents.

The article shares many statistics about school librarians spending their own money at school. Where does the money go? The top three categories: books, office supplies, and prizes and giveaways.

Within the article, DonorsChoose.org receives mention and how it’s becoming another venue for educators to find money for their media center. Recently, CMLE wrote about DonorsChoose.org and its impact for educators.

Do you spend your own money at your media center or library? Why or why not?

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/o4onocb, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0