Attention to school libraries must be at the heart of any comprehensive plan for improving youth literacy. Excellent school libraries are essential if young people are to have access to the reading resources to help them gain the level of literacy achievement vital to meeting the challenge of the twenty-first century. Sections of the booklet discuss facing the challenge of the twenty-first century; the role of school libraries; the "sad state" of school libraries in Indiana; how much should be spent on books for middle grades school libraries; how long it will take to rebuild school library book collections; what needs to be done now to make a commitment to school libraries; and school libraries and young Hoosiers. Contains eight references and the Reading Bill of Rights for Indiana's Young Adolescents. Appendixes present a library books inventory form, a chart indicating library inventory by copyright date, a library endowment plan, and a form for a library media center monthly report. (RS)