What is your job title? Who do you work for?

My job title is School Library Media Specialist. I work for a Wayne County school district. For many years, I worked as a special education teacher. I've been employed as a media specialist since this past February.

How did you get the job?

This past fall, the school district was able to open four new media specialist positions. I was fortunate to be one of staff who was able to change positions and embark on a new career.

What does your typical day look like?

Since I service three elementary schools, I do a lot of reading activities and teaching of informational literacy to first through third graders. Sometimes, I see as many as nine classes in a day. I also make time to manage the collection and assist teachers with their media needs.

What is your favorite part of your job?

I really enjoy story time, author studies, and booktalks with students. These activities not only spark their interest in reading, but also increase the number of books they want to check out.

What are you most proud of in terms of accomplishments related to your career?

In the Fall 2009 issue of Media Spectrum, my article titled Eluding the National Trend: Strategies to Entice and Maintain Book Readers.I'm also proud of the articles I wrote covering the Ferndale Library renovation project for a local newspaper.

How do specific LIS classes or your concentration/certificate relate to your job? Is there anything in particular that you're reminded of regularly?

I enjoyed the children's literature survey classes. The classes gave me a good overview of the genres I now teach my students.

What extracurricular groups did you participate in while you were a WSU MLIS student? Did you join any student groups, or do any volunteer work or internships?

I did my internship at Riverside Middle School in Dearborn Heights. It was a great experience. I learned a great deal from the librarian who mentored me.

Who were your mentors or had an effect on you as an MLIS student?

Dr. Dian Walster was my advisor and professor for several classes while I attended Wayne State. Her assignments were always worthwhile and her positive attitude/encouragement motivated me to publish my article in the Media Spectrum journal.

Lastly, what's your favorite website related to the LIS field?

http://literature.pppst.com/ This site is a share site with educational materials. It has many useful PowerPoints and other tools for teachers and librarians.