Schools in the United States have not always had a large number of libraries. As recently as 1958 about half of the public schools in the United States had no libraries at all. The number of public school libraries increased dramatically when the federal government passed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, which provided funds for school districts to improve their education programs  and facilities, (631) __________ their  libraries. Nevertheless, many educators claim that since the legislation was passed federal spending has not increased (632) _____________ to meet the rising cost of new library technologies such as computer databases and Internet access.

(633) ______________,  individual  school  districts rely on funds from local property taxes to meet the vast majority of public schools expenses. Therefore, the libraries of public schools tend to reflect the financial capabilities of the communities (634) ______________. Districts in wealthy suburbs often have  fully  staffed  libraries  for abundant resources, spacious facilities, and curricular and instructional  support. In contrast, school districts in many poor areas house their libraries in ordinary classrooms or in small rooms. The libraries in such areas are generally staffed by volunteers, who organize and maintain books that are often out-of-date, (635) ____________, or damaged.

The number of public school libraries increased dramatically when the federal government passed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, which provided funds for school districts to improve their education programs  and facilities, (631) __________ their  libraries.