The 2025-2026 school year has brought several changes for McCallum, including the removal of the library clerk position, previously held by Lauren Alindogan. Despite the position’s 20-year-long existence at McCallum and other local high schools, the Austin ISD Board of Trustees approved to cut the position from all AISD high schools on June 26. The position cut was part of AISD’s effort to reduce the ongoing budget deficit, originally estimated to be over $110 million prior to the budget cuts. After recalculating to include their new proposal, AISD now faces a $47.3 million budget deficit, with $19.7 million of that debt in their general fund and the remaining $27.6 million belonging to their debt service fund. 

However, these cuts have had substantial consequences on AISD libraries. Previously, library clerks were responsible for handling technology issues and distributing Chromebooks, as AISD high schools don’t have on-site computer technicians. Following the removal of this position, McCallum’s head librarian, Mathew Zuniga, has had to take on the role of both librarian and technology distributor for almost 2,000 students. 

“Not a period goes by where there aren’t ten kids coming in with Chromebook issues,” Zuniga said. “The work isn’t very difficult, but it’s very time-consuming and non-stop right now.”

Zuniga has also encountered another challenge in the form of freshman orientation. At orientation, ninth-grade English teachers have been bringing their classes to the library to learn how to go on a scavenger hunt and learn how to conduct research in the library, and check out books. Without the aid of a library clerk, Zuniga has struggled to lead these orientations and connect with students afterwards.

“After the orientation, students check out books,” Zuniga said. “I want to be able to walk around in the shelves helping students pick out books, but I have to be at my desk so students can check out books. It’s impossible to be in two places at once.” 

Although Zuniga can’t be in two places at once, he has received some assistance leading freshman orientation from senior library aides Elise Garza and Cozbi Sims. To provide Zuniga with the opportunity to help freshmen find the right book for them, Garza often stays behind the desk checking out books, a job that previously would have been done by Alindogan. Garza decided to become a student library aide after she realized how busy Zuniga would be this year without having a library clerk.

“I realized he [Zuniga] would need help,” Garza said. “He’s basically doing two jobs, and I wanted to be able to help out with that when I can.”

Although Garza’s decision to become a library aide stemmed from her recognition of Zuniga’s large workload, she has found genuine enjoyment in the position. 

“I always have loved helping people,” Garza said. “I feel like being a library aide opens up an opportunity to make all of these little connections, and that gives me energy and makes me feel happy and more connected to the McCallum community.”

Although sophomore Alina Curtin isn’t an official library aide since underclassmen can’t have office or library aide periods, she decided to start helping Zuniga out during lunch when, like Garza, she noticed the stress the cut of the library clerk position has caused him.

“Putting more work on Mr. Z isn’t fair at all,” Curtin said. “Librarians in AISD already have so much put on them, and having a clerk seemed very helpful to that workload.”

Zuniga is very grateful for the assistance that students like Curtin, Garza, and Sims have provided. He believes that it is indicative of McCallum’s community values.

“It shows how caring the students here at McCallum are and how willing to work they are,” Zuniga said. “I didn’t ask them to start helping at lunch, but they’re looking for ways to be involved and help the library however they can because they love this space. That means a lot to me.”

 While Garza and Curtin love helping out in the library, Garza acknowledges that it is unfair that students have to help out in the library to keep it on its feet. 

“Mr. Z shouldn’t have to rely on students caring enough to help and having openings in their schedule to do the job of a formerly paid AISD employee,” Garza said. “I don’t think it’s fair to anyone involved. I know one reason people would become library aides was to get their schoolwork done, but I’m not able to because there’s always so much work to be done in the library.”

Zuniga also shares this sentiment, wishing that he didn’t have to rely so much on student help.

“It is awesome to get quality student help, but libraries shouldn’t have to rely on students and should be able to run on their own with proper staff,” Zuniga said. “It can be frustrating that it has had to come to this, but without it, I’m not sure how I would get by, so I’m very thankful for it.”

Even with the help of Garza and other library aides, Zuniga has been “swamped” with work, according to Garza. Garza has noticed that there are almost always 100 books to be shelved and categorized because Zuniga has had to devote his efforts to checking out books and helping with technology issues. 

“All the functions of an actual library aren’t really being carried out because there’s not enough manpower to do them because Mr. Z has to help people with technology so they can do their schoolwork,” Garza said.

In particular, Zuniga hasn’t had time to develop some of the more abstract functions of the library, such as programming and clubs. Last year, Zuniga had the opportunity to help lead and organize clubs from Analog Club to Banned Book Club and host events like Pride Week’s open-mic poetry event.

“It’s challenging because I’m not yet able to focus on some of the aspects of the library that I really want to,” Zuniga said. “I really want to get some authors in here, but right now I really can’t even think about that.”

Additionally, Zuniga feels like not having a library clerk has caused him to be unable to interact with students. Last year, Alindogan and Zuniga would swap working behind the desk, shelving books, and interacting with students, but now, Zuniga is forced to spend most of his time behind the desk in case a student needs to check out a Chromebook or a library book.

“

It is more challenging to connect with students when you’re behind the desk for most of the day instead of out and about in your library space,” Zuniga said.  

Garza has also noticed the effect that decreased student interaction has had on McCallum’s community.

“Something that always touched me was his passion for what he was doing,” Garza said. “Since he has so much work that he needs to do, he’s not able to spend as much time teaching people and helping them become involved with the library. I definitely think that’s going to have an impact on student engagement.”

Aside from the short-term effect not having a library clerk has had at McCallum, Garza fears that the cut of the library clerk position and general decrease in funding for libraries will make students less prepared for college and the world beyond.

“It’s a clichéd phrase, but the children definitely are our future,” Garza said. “By not investing in that or meeting the bare minimum needs that the school system and students have, I feel like the legislators are basically saying that we’re not worth investing in.”

Similar to Garza, Curtin feels that the cut of the library clerk position is going to have a long-term impact on libraries, comparing the removal of positions to a game of Jenga.

“I think right now that’s what AISD is going with these budget cuts: a very risky game of Jenga,” Curtin said. “If you remove the loose pieces, it’s fine, so long as you’re okay with ignoring the holes. Then, you think ‘one more couldn’t hurt’ and the whole thing comes crashing down.”

Zuniga shares his students’ frustration with the lack of budgeting for libraries. Although he acknowledges that AISD’s budget deficit requires making cuts, Zuniga wishes there were more state funding for libraries.

“So much comes out of libraries,” Zuniga said. “It can be frustrating as a librarian to see budgets shrink and help get diminished when we all know that everyone loves libraries.”