SLMS Interview Questions

Whitney Green - Madison County Middle School

• Before becoming a school library media specialist, what did you do?

Mrs. Green taught 8th-grade math for three years and 7th-grade
math/social studies for two years.

• What inspired you to pursue a degree in School Library Media?

Mrs. Green shared she has always loved to read. She loved
reading and sharing books with my students. She wanted to keep
working with students, but instead of math, she wanted to share
books.

• Where did you receive your training/degree?

Mrs. Green attended Georgia Southern University for her

degrees.

• Is there anything you did not receive in your educational program or

field experience that you wish had been included?

Mending books and weeding books is something you just kind of

learn as you go.

• What professional organizations are you a member of?

Mrs. Green is a member of PAGE & GLMA.

• How do you determine the collection needs of your library?

When working on collection needs, she relies on student

requests, teacher requests, and popular books that are series.
• Talk to me about your background in technology before becoming a
media specialist?

Mrs. Green shared she has always been somewhat techy, her
masters is in Instructional Technology.

• What role do you play in the school as a technology specialist?

Mrs. Green is the 3rd person on the tech chain. They usually
come to her about program needs, wants, and the tech office for
actual tech items.

• As far as reading for pleasure, what genre do you enjoy? What are
you currently or have recently been reading for pleasure?

She reads all genres, but fantasy is her favorite. She is currently
reading “The School of Good & Evil” and “Murder, She Wrote.”

• What role do you see the school librarian and library playing in the
overall reading program of the school?

We are there to give support in all subjects. A Library Media

Specialist is a tool that can be used to support the reading of all
students.

• How do you encourage struggling readers?

She helps struggling readers by finding books that they will

actually read. That includes books that might not be on their
grade level or might be graphic novels.
• What are some of the ways that the school library media specialist
can promote and encourage professional reading among the faculty?

Mrs. Green has a teacher's bookshelf. Teachers can bring books

or just stop by and grab a book. It is in the workroom in the
library. She also enjoys book talks with teachers about a great
book you have read the same way you do with the students.

• Do you normally lead professional development in your school (or

district?) Do you think the PD you lead is more on the technology side,
library resources, materials, and equipment, or is it a combination of
all?

Mrs. Green has led PD before on different tech tools and

programs, but she cannot continue that because she is the only
person in the library.

• How do you ensure your continued professional growth?

She is always looking at new books, following LMS on social

media, and researching new items to add to the library.

• What steps can the school librarian take to encourage reluctant

teachers to utilize the library?

It is a struggle. She tries to have an open environment and

flexible schedule so teachers can use the media center when
they need to. We are short on staffing, so it is hard sometimes.

• How has COVID impacted the day-to-day operation of your media

center? Has it altered your circulation statistics at all?
The middle school lost many books that were not returned during
the COVID year. They are building back their collection. Her
statistics have not gone down. (23,580 before COVID and 28,815
now) They are understaffed. They have 1200 students and 100
staff members. They only have one LMS to serve the whole
school.

• In what ways can you generate funding when school or district

budgets run out… or are nonexistent?

Additional funding is generated by the Book Fair.

• Are you seen as a teacher, administrator, instructional technology

specialist, or a combination of all three at your school?

Mrs. Green is a Library Media Specialist.

• What are the expectations of your school administration regarding

the library program?

The library program should be inclusive and available for all

students.

• Do you have an aide or paraprofessional, and if so, what are your

expectations of that person?

No, but she would love to have the help. They would help with
students, shelving books, processing new books, and weeding
books.

• What advice would you give to someone just entering the field of
school library media?
READ READ READ. Read all genres. The more you read, the
more you can book-talk with students.