With shrinking budgets and increasing numbers of students, school librarians are finding themselves fighting to keep their jobs as school districts are forced to make budget cuts. School librarians have had to defend their library programs and their professional skills. Being Indispensable gives librarians a step-by-step guide for activities at the campus, district, and state levels. It starts at the beginning with guidance on forming a mission statement, and promotes outside-the-box thinking about the future to help librarians make their school libraries an integral part of the changing educational picture.

The beginning of the book discusses the changes and challenges that school library programs (SLPs) currently are facing. Instead of dwelling on the situation's difficulties, the authors challenge readers to make proactive changes. Part 1 addresses how to develop a mission statement, assess leadership skills, and create a strategic plan to make one's SLP more visible, encourage collaboration with others in the school, and educate those who are unaware of the SLP's vital contribution to education. Part 2 evaluates what administrators, communities, teachers, and students want from an SLP. These chapters provide a wealth of information about forming relationships with decision makers, making one's SLP more visible and relevant, and finding ways to integrate library programs and services in meaningful ways. Part 3 focuses on advocacy and leadership, encouraging librarians to think about their SLPs outside of the school walls and to engage in planning for the SLPs of the future.

Overall, this book takes an honest look at being a school librarian and is well suited to librarians and library administrators who want to make changes and to advocate for their SLP rather than think longingly about school libraries of the past. The information in the book is timely and easy to follow, and it encourages collaboration with others to show decision makers that school libraries are vital.