After fighting censorship in Texas, nationally recognized educator Jean Darnell moved to Philadelphia to help revive local school libraries, writes Kristen A. Graham for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Darnell is the first Philadelphia School District library chief since the system allowed its school libraries to wither starting in the 1990s.

Decades ago, the district had almost 200 certified school librarians. In 2023-24, the district with 216 schools only had two full-time certified school librarians, a ratio that was possibly the worst in the country.

“Philadelphia is the country’s OG capital. How do you not have a rich literacy program — that’s the antithesis of what I learned in U.S. history class,” Darnell said. “If our libraries fail, our literacy will tank, because there’s no separation of the two. Libraries should be the heart of schools, and thinking that you can have a fully operational school with no heart, that doesn’t work.”

Darnell is known nationwide as The Awakened Librarian. She is a Pulitzer Center teacher fellow and has served on the committee that selects the much revered children’s book prize, the Caldecott Medal.

It’s that reputation that she brings to her new job in Philadelphia.

“I was led here — this is where I was supposed to be,” said Darnell.

Read more about Jean Darnell and her plan to revive Philly libraries in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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