Each month, TASL honors school librarians from across the state who deserve recognition for their work. We are excited to share with you more about our March Librarians of the Month.
East TN Librarian of the Month
Name: Laura Dowd
Hometown: Signal Mountain, TN
School: Nolan Elementary School
School District: Hamilton County
What do you love most about being a school librarian?
Building relationships with my students and their families for all the elementary years!
What would someone see if they were to walk in your library?
Singing, dancing, engaging student dialogue, original chants that I should share on a YouTube channel!
What are you most proud of regarding your library program?
Incorporating relevant, creative lessons that help students discover their interests and strengths.
What advice would you give a new librarian?
Know your audience. Build relationships with all stakeholders! Use TEL! Be a reader!
If you are willing, please provide us with a favorite activity description that we can share with other professionals.
Reader’s Theater: Take a great read aloud and convert it to a play for your students to perform in class.
Digital Citizenship: compare traditional fairy tales to modern tales to promote internet safety.
VSBA voting: Create a voting booth for students to elect their favorite book each year. Don’t forget the classic “I voted” stickers for the full experience.
Two truths and a lie: Critically evaluate articles to find the fake.
Anything else you would like to share?
I love my job!
Follow Laura on Instagram @lalibrarydowd.
Middle TN Librarian of the Month
Name: Tiffany Tucker
Hometown: Fairview, TN
School: Ravenwood High School
School District: Williamson County
What do you love most about being a school librarian?
In collaboration with their classroom teachers, working with students to prepare them for their next step in education is very fulfilling. I enjoy ensuring that students are developing sound research skills to prepare them for their future. Additionally, my supportive colleagues and peer librarians in my county are amazing too! Meeting with my student and faculty book club is one of my favorite things each month!
What would someone see if they were to walk in your library?
Someone entering my library would see unique, creative, and eye catching book displays; students working collaboratively, solo, or with a teacher; students reading books as well as using technology; students and teachers asking the librarian for help or advice relating to a host of issues including Chromebook help. Our library is the heart and hub of our school!
What are you most proud of regarding your library program?
I am proud of the relationships I have developed with my co-workers who trust me to teach their students about research, resources, books, technology, and more.
What advice would you give a new librarian?
Become involved in library advocacy and be your own advocate. Develop ways to advocate for your library at your school, county, state, and national level. Librarians have so much to offer and fill many varied roles at their schools. However, with librarians’ educational and practical training, we often take care of complex problems seamlessly. While this is incredibly beneficial to your students, faculty, and administration, sometimes it is needed and appropriate to shine a spotlight on all the unique things you do! Many people you work with will value you and respect what you do, but be ready to talk about your amazing work at any time, especially for those who don’t realize all the things you do.
If you are willing, please provide us with a favorite activity description that we can share with other professionals.
This year our school is over 1800 students, and I was unable to do full lessons with all our freshman English classes as they began research since I have been a solo librarian for about 6 years. I made 2 brief Screencastify videos about the basics of research, databases, citation, avoiding plagiarism, etc. I also worked closely with the teachers as they developed and began the project. I made a hyper-doc with direct links to a handful of database resources and a few websites for MLA documentation. Since the classes did not get a chance to see me during a lesson, I stopped by all the classes while they were starting the research steps for what I called “Library PR” where I basically just spent 5 minutes introducing myself, telling them that I had made the videos and hyper-docs, and that I would be happy to help them in the library if they got stuck or needed help. All this combined allowed the students to know my expertise in the subject and led many of them to come ask me follow up questions when they had trouble finding the right resource. We also had several books on their topics, which allowed me to help them find some of their sources in books I had available in the library. I’m grateful that technology is giving me ways to meet students where I can and reach more students at one time.
West TN Librarian of the Month
Name: Robyn Hicks
Hometown: Jackson, TN
School: Andrew Jackson Elementary School
School District: Jackson Madison County Schools
What do you love most about being a school librarian?
I love developing relationships with students, faculty, and staff. I get excited to hear the student’s opinions when I give them book recommendations. I love to put books in reluctant students hands and then they look at me and say” this was actually good and I finished it” Connecting students to books that make them think outside the box is my goal.
What would someone see if they were to walk in your library?
They would see a colorful inviting library with cozy reading areas scattered around every corner.
What are you most proud of regarding your library program?
I received an Leaders Education Grant to create a Makerspace. This has been such a wonderful addition to the library. I have been able to incorporate hands-on learning through STEM activities.
What advice would you give a new librarian?
As a new librarian, I would tell them to get to know your students. This will assist you in selected materials for your collection. I would also suggest following other librarians and library groups on social media. You can get great ideas and make them work for your library. Lastly, I would say pace yourself! You don’t have to do everything at once. Take it one project at a time.
If you are willing, please provide us with a favorite activity description that we can share with other professionals.
A favorite activity among students is when I incorporate Playdoh into a lesson. If the lesson has several characters. I will ask students to make the characters with the play doh as I read the story. I love seeing their talent and creativity.
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