Two and a half school years has led to the culmination of the school library media specialist endorsement on my license.  Okay, officially it will happen once I graduate in December and take the Praxis exam a few weeks later, but this course and conclusion of my practicum hours marks a humongous milestone for sure.  I am thrilled to achieve this after 24 years of teaching – and now I plan to be a teacher librarian for the rest of my career.

            While spending hours in a high school library, I’ve observed and helped with so much that goes on behind the scenes.  Working on the collection, weeding, cataloging, collaborating, training, teaching, mentoring… a school librarian wears many hats.  Many things they do may go unnoticed by the school population.

I was so lucky to work with an outstanding HS librarian at Oak Ridge HS in Oak Ridge, TN.  She really took me under her wing and trained me on cataloging new books and the student management system they use for study hall and lunch to track kids’ whereabouts.  I learned how to check books in and out, and of course shelved a bit – which I really had to be careful about because she has 100% genrefied the entire library.  I worked with her on a lesson she had with a special needs class.  We read a book and wrote thank you notes to teachers, made a pie craft, and then checked out books.  I enjoyed my time working and learning from her.  She even gave me her login information for Titlewave and the school’s catalog admin page to dabble in.  I’ve started a list in Titlewave – she wanted any new book ideas I had, but to my delight almost everything I wanted to add she already had.

She took me to visit/tour a middle school library close by and I met the librarian there.  Come to find out, he is retiring in December.  She told me about this new position opening in their district (a very coveted one) and that I should apply.  I didn’t want to seem as elated as I was, so I casually responded with a, “Yes, I’d love to apply!”  Over coming visits she trained me on numerous things in her library and asked each visit if I’d like to apply and stated that I should, and “if you get hired, I’d love to help you any way I can…”  And that she is friends with the HR woman… And how fortunate that I already have my background check done with them…

So, I will apply with the school district once they post the opening and hope to land there.  It will most likely be an interim position that could lead to an official spot in the fall of next school year.  I am so fortunate to have had this experience even if I don’t land in this district.  I know I will find a new “home” soon in a school library.  Endings always bring new beginnings.  This could be mine!