Dallas ISD marked School Library Month in April with district figures suggesting that when distractions are reduced, students are still eager to turn the pages of a book.
After implementing a device-free policy in June 2025, librarians across school campuses reported fuller libraries, more browsing, and students spending additional time with print materials.
“Foot traffic has increased significantly,” Dallas ISD Library Services noted in its summary of trends, adding, “There is a noticeable surge in reader engagement across campuses.”
This school year, district data showed total physical book checkouts reached 766,548, alongside 233,819 digital checkouts through Sora eBooks and audiobooks.
Overall circulation climbed 21% compared with the prior year, signaling what district leaders described as a meaningful step toward restoring pre-pandemic reading habits.
School officials reported the broader commitment to a culture of literacy has been strengthened by the expansion of book genres and titles bridging modern interests with enduring literary works.
This year alone, reported Dallas ISD in a written statement, 47,522 new titles have been added to school collections, expanding access to both classic and contemporary works across grade levels.
Student reading preferences, tracked through the LS2 PAC system, highlighted a mix of popular series and diverse voices.
At the elementary level, frequently checked-out titles included “Fetch 22” by Dav Pilkey and “Creepy Crayons” by Aaron Reynolds.
Middle school readers gravitated toward books such as “Invisible” by Christina Diaz Gonzalez and “The Princess Diaries” by Meg Cabot.
High school students checked out works such as “Scarlet” by Marissa Meyer and “Killer Instinct” by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.
District officials pointed to the school campuses serving as models for effective reader advisory programs and strong library engagement strategies.
Among the elementary schools leading the way in driving circulation gains, Lakewood Elementary School and Sylvia Mendez CREW Leadership Academy ranked at the top, alongside Annie Webb Blanton Elementary School, Rosemont Primary School, and F.P. Caillet Elementary School.
Districtwide, top-performing campuses included Lakewood Elementary, Sylvia Mendez CREW Leadership Academy, the School for the Talented and Gifted in Pleasant Grove, Henry W. Longfellow Career Exploration Academy, Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School, and Hillcrest High School.
While the increase in print circulation remains a focal point, school librarians also reported expanding students’ access to learning beyond traditional book lending. Under the district’s Inquiry and Innovation standard, school libraries are evolving into hubs for technology and hands-on learning, said a Dallas ISD representative.
Initiatives such as the “Hour of AI” introduced students to artificial intelligence concepts, including prompt engineering and ethical use.
Students also participated in robotics and coding lessons using tools such as Bee-Bots and Ozobots, while exploring emerging technologies including 3D printing and podcasting.
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