As a school librarian, I support students in the ethical use of information as well as teach strategies for accessing, evaluating, and synthesizing information resources for use in their work. I help students navigate the sometimes overwhelming—and not always accurate—mountain of information available through Google, online databases, e-books, and the Internet. I also help students find information available in the library from periodicals, DVDs, books, and other materials. These kinds of skills are called information literacy skills, and they are crucial for all learners in the 21st century (AASL 2007). Being information literate means knowing how to find, evaluate, and use information from a variety of sources. It means knowing when a book may be more helpful than a website. It means knowing what questions to ask. Is the information complete? Accurate? Is someone trying to sell something? Good decisions depend on good information. As a school librarian, I know that the best source of information isn’t always Google. I teach the newest research skills that students will use to become lifelong learners.
In my personal time, I enjoy spending time with my friends and family, reading the latest and greatest teen books, and walking my two dogs on the beautiful trails of St. Paul. As a kid, I loved reading so much that I would do my chores while reading and my parents had to ban books at the dinner table. I hope to inspire every student at Farnsworth to love books and learning as much as I do.
For more information about school libraries and school librarians in St. Paul, please visit our district Library Services site.
