As a librarian and an
educator, I believe my most important job is to provide a safe, flexible, and
comfortable space where students can be active creators of knowledge and ideas.
I embrace a
constructivist approach to learning, where I am a facilitator, providing
opportunities for students to experience and acquire knowledge. Hands-on
lessons, dialogue with peers and mentors, inquiry, diverse instructional
approaches, and continual feedback and reflection all help to nurture a more
authentic learning experience.
I strive to create a
space for intellectual freedom. Anyone who uses the school library must be able
to explore, experience, and try new things without fear of embarrassment,
judgment, censorship, or reprisal. The physical space must allow for
flexibility of learning styles, whether it’s small or large groups, private
study, or active learning.
I endeavor to cultivate a
collection that is appropriate for the information needs of the school
community. This means reaching out to professional learning networks to find
new resources, continually weeding outdated or unused material, and working
with faculty to identify strengths and weaknesses of the collection.
Technology provides a lot
of the tools at my disposal, I am continually investigating and evaluating new
tools to increase student learning and involvement. However, I also know that
balance is key, and students learn best when they have a variety of tools
available for their differentiated learning styles.
I believe that student
learning should be the driving force behind how the library is organized and
utilized. I collaborate with faculty and help teach the information literacy
skills necessary so that students and teachers learn to identify their own information
needs. A well-designed, easily searchable, online catalog and resource guides
are essential for helping users find what they need, when they need it.
Above all, I believe that
learning is a lifelong process, which means that I am constantly setting goals
for myself, trying new things, creating connections with peers, taking risks,
making mistakes, and learning something from each experience.
