If you would have asked me when I was a kid if I thought I would ever be a librarian, I would have said no way! Even when I earned my master's degree I honestly thought when I got old and "tired of teaching" I would use my library degree. Little did I know God had other plans. I finished my library degree in July 2009. That summer, the librarian at the middle school where I worked retired and my library life began.
When I applied for the position, I knew I wanted to do something different in our library. I wanted it to be the heart of the school that I had seen in my college courses, not the babysitting room or silent showdown like many of the libraries I had witnessed. Luckily, the administrator I worked for at the time gave me a chance to make this vision a reality. I began working with teachers, collaborative teaching and offering instructional support. I began working with students to make our library a place they wanted to be, a place they could study, work, relax, and even take a breather from time to time. And slowly but surely the culture shifted. Teachers began to see me as more than a key to an extra prep-time. They began to work with me to find materials and activities for our students. It was amazing!
Then in 2016, I made a leap of faith. The librarian position opened up at the high school where I had spent all of my grade school days. Did I dare apply? There were so many factors. I loved the school I was working at and all the people there. Ten years is a long time and I am not always a fan of change. Only ten minutes from home and still a very small school, Cleveland had so much to offer. So after much prayer, I turned in my application.
Well, that's that. I absolutely love it here. It has been such a blessing to get to know the students and be part of the community again where I was raised. My mother taught kindergarten here and it was honestly like coming home. Luckily the administration here shares my library vision. Our library is more than the room with the books. This is the living room of our school, the hub, the heart. We entertain here, we learn here, we rest here, we even have a little therapy from time to time. The goal is that everyone at Cleveland School feels welcome in this room. No matter their interest, background, grade level, we all have something in common and can work toward a common goal.
And in case anyone has any doubts...I love this library life!!!
