The Villages - August 2018 - 23

Library Media Specialist,
The Villages High School

Q.What does your job entail?
A.A long time ago, we were called librarians. Now we're
called anything from media specialists to library media
specialists, which involves print resources and digital
resources (online). We're teachers - we teach resource
skills and collaborate with teachers on developing the
resources they need for the units they teach.
I'm always helping students select books to read. Many
times, they see books online and they come to me and
say, 'Barnes & Noble just released this book. Do you
have it, by chance?' We try to keep things current so the
students are stimulated. Each student gets a Chromebook,
so we troubleshoot those when problems arise. We also
manage textbooks and plan events to emphasize literacy
during Celebrate Literacy Month. We do feature books for
Hispanic Heritage Month, and every month we have books
we highlight. Every quarter we highlight a core value - so
we will start this year with hospitality. We try to find digital
resources to support those values and make them relevant
to the students.

scanrail/iStock/Thinkstock

Q.What do you enjoy about your job?
A.We do a lot of planning but we also partner with parents.
We give them resources for things like cyberbullying,
handling the transition to college, surviving the scary teendriving years and so on. My grandson just started driving
and I know how tough it is as a parent going through this
stuff. So we try to help the best we can, and I like being
involved with the students and their parents. They keep me
on my toes, and I can't say I am ever bored.

Q.What made you want to stay with it?
A.I was really surprised when I enjoyed it. It was a lot more
work than I imagined, but I decided to earn my degree so I
could continue. I was accepted at Syracuse University but
I couldn't afford it. At that time, I had two kids in college.
Then, something uncanny happened - I got an offer
from a school and they agreed to assist me with my degree
through a distance-learning program.
Q.What was the hardest part about going back to
school as an adult?
A.Definitely the technology. It was all new to me, so I had
to learn how to work with computers. But now I appreciate
the wonderful network of information that's available to us.
Just when you think you've mastered something, it changes
or there's something new out there - but I like that. Books
are great and working with technology keeps me learning.
Q.How long have you been in The Villages?
A. I've been in The Villages for 12 years. We live in the
Village of Chatham.

Q.How do you get students excited about learning?
A.We dig for books on topics that interest the kids. We
work hard to create promotionals and displays that intrigue
R E C R E AT I O N C
them. Doing podcasts and activities that allow them to use
11 so
regional, 25
technology keeps them interested. They're so tech-savvy,
we use that to our advantage. Contests are fun, too -and
who50 neighb
doesn't love a prize?

Q.How did you get into the education field?
A.I've kind of always done things backward, so I started
my family and then went to college while living in New
York. I helped start a PTA with my children's' principal.
He called me one day and asked me to fill a position. That's
when I found out there was much more to being a librarian
than just reading books.
MAGAZINE

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Villages - August 2018