My librarian friends in Large Ol' School District

A list of librarians I admire would be incomplete without mentioning the fabulous librarians I work with.  I've tried to be very careful about mentioning where I work--I want the freedom to express my opinions and not make my readers feel like I'm expressing district opinions.  So sufice it to say, my district--Large Ol' District, for lack of a better name--has the best librarians around!  The 35 women who work at the various campuses are some of the most dedicated, hard working people I know. 

We are trying to stay ahead of the curve in terms of digital learning.  For example, nearly every one of our schools wants to participate in funding a subscription to Overdrive even with the impact on budgets because it's the way of the future.  Our elementary schools are teaching researching through databases and using tools like Noodletools to our youngest students so they are prepared when they reach us at high school.  Our middle schools continue on with that research instruction while fostering a love of reading that sometimes gets lost as kids get older.  Our high schools cover research in subjects ranging from academics to culinary to auto to vet tech to cosmotology.  In addition we have IB classes, AP/ pre-AP classes, ESL classes, Sped classes and everything in between.

We've been hit hard with budget issues lately and everyone is coping.  The hardest hit were our middle school librarians, who lost their assistants.  But yet, they still teach research lessons, do booktalks for kids and generally keep things going, smiling all the while.  I've been a middle school librarian--I don't know how they are doing it.

At the high schools, we lost one assistant but still have one.  Things get a little hectic--for example, when I'm trying to teach a class and another comes in for checkout and yet more students walk in for help.  Two people serving 2000 students don't stretch very far.  But again, not to blow my own horn, the high school librarians are doing whatever it takes to make the library program successful. 

Our elementary librarians are some of the most cheerful, bubbly people I know.  I laughed when I attended one of their meetings because they were so animated!  A huge change from the secondary meetings!!  But their personalities and passion for reading and learning start our kids out in the right direction.  Without the foundation they give our students, our jobs would be so much harder!

So ladies--you know who you are in the Large Ol' School  District--I salute you all.  You make me proud to be a librarian.