Search
Member Login

October Pre-Service Librarian Support

by: Jennifer Sturge
Category: Learn
Sep
26

Supporting Pre-Service School Librarians

Maryland is fortunate to have several colleges and universities who offer programs in school librarianship and librarianship.  As school librarians, we have the ability to support pre-service school librarians by sharing our collective knowledge for the good of all school librarians in the state, including those who are not quite practicing yet!

This month, we reached out to a class of students working on their MLIS at the University of Maryland in a Children's Literature course.  Students were asked if they were planning on the school library track, and if they wanted to participate in answering a few questions and posing a question for our membership. 

The Questions

Pre-service school librarians were asked, 

Why you have chosen school librarianship?
Some of your favorite classes you have taken?
Please pose a question you have for current school librarians.

The Answers

Jessie Bauer

 Jessie Bauer

Jessie Bauer is the Library Services Specialist at the HSHSL at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Current MLIS Student at the University of Maryland. Background in public libraries. Passionate defender of the Oxford comma.

I love all things libraries, and am grateful to have varied experience working in different kinds of libraries including public and academic. But I want to be a school librarian because of my passion for working with children and love for children’s literature. My favorite classes in the School Library specialization at UMD have been Jen’s Young Adult Lit and Children’s Lit classes, because I’ve enjoyed getting to read current titles and discuss important aspects of working in a school library today. 

Grace Burke

Grace Burke

Grace Burke (They/She) is a first year in UMD’s MLIS program! They currently work at Little District Books in Washington DC, love hanging out with their cat, and specifically wants to work with LGBTAIQ+ youth after graduating

I’ve chosen school librarianship because I love children and books! I greatly believe in the power of kids being able to see themselves and expand their opportunities through literature and I want to help people find the books that will inspire them. 
This is my first semester in my program and I’m mostly taking foundation courses. My Literature and Materials for Children class is my most specific class and clearly aligns with the work I want to do. I’m also loving my Serving Information Needs class as I develop the tools to better provide resources for the people I want to work with. 

Julia Williams

Julia Williams
Julia Williams is a MLIS student at the University of Maryland's ischool in the School Library track. She grew up in Myersville, Frederick County, MD. Julia has a B.A. in English and Theatre from McDaniel College ('11) and has spent many years performing- acting and improvising. She currently is part of the Comedy Pigs at the Maryland Ensemble Theatre in Frederick, MD and is a cast member at the Maryland Renaissance Festival. She lived in Chicago for 3.5 years and trained at Second City and ComedySportz. She loves to read, take naps, and watch Shakespeare adaptations. 
I chose school librarianship because I have an education background and wish to assist in the “molding of minds”. I also find the school library an excellent place to fight book bans and instruct students on media and tech literacy

My favorite classes so far have been my literature classes!

The Questions for YOU, MASL!

Grace asks, what’s your favorite book to share with students?

Jessie would like to know, "as I am early in my career, I’m curious as to when other school librarians got into the field and why they prefer working in a school library compared to other kinds of libraries."
Finally, Julia is curious about how do we respond to book challenges? How do we manage to get support to challenge those challenges?

 

Power in the Collective

MASL, share your collective ideas on this  Padlet.  The Padlet will be open for comment until the end of October.  Let's collaborate together to provide answers and advice for our pre-service school librarians.

We'll share all of your answers with these pre-service school librarians at the end of October!

 

 

 

Share this post:

Comments on "October Pre-Service Librarian Support"

Comments 0-5 of 0

Please login to comment