Tamara Ballard

FRIT 7734
Dr. Jones

Elementary School Library Media Specialist Interview #1 (Site Supervisor)

Q1. Name of media specialist being interviewed.

A) ​Connie Fowler

Q2. Name of School where the media specialist is employed.

A) ​Rolling Hills Elementary

Q3. How long have you been a media specialist?

A) ​I have been a media specialist for 29 years.

Q4. How long were you a classroom teacher before becoming a media specialist?

A) ​I was only in the classroom for only one year. When I started, I only had to complete one
year.

Q5. How have your past job experiences prepared you, directly or indirectly, for this position?

A) ​I have realized that if you don’t have experience on different grade levels you might struggle.
Working on all levels in the school library has prepared me to be able to oversee all the
elementary schools as the Elementary Library Coordinator. It has been a good balancing act to
have worked on every level.
Q6. Why did you choose to pursue a degree to become a school library media specialist?

A) ​I have worked in the library all of my life since I was six years old. My mother was my high
school librarian, so I wanted to just like her. We went to conventions in high school. I love
children and I love giving back. It’s not like the classroom where you are with one class. You
have to be open to every child and child experience. I really like it because I get to do more
counseling students because I have a great relationship with students.

Q7. What educational preparation have you had for being a school librarian? What was your
experience with that? What didn’t you learn in school that you wish you had?

A) ​I have my bachelor’s degree in English and History. Then I went to Texas Woman’s
University and got my masters in Library Science. Then I got my leadership master’s in
Education Administration. So, I have one bachelor and two master’s degrees. In library school
was my hardest. In the summer I took a course called Young Adult Literature and I had to read
116 books in 6 weeks. I had to write little blurbs. I learned the theory of libraries, but the
problem was they didn’t teach me PO (purchase order) nor do a lot about classroom
management. I didn’t have to have that back then and I taught for 1 year prior to becoming a
school librarian. I didn’t learn the general day to day on how to run a library. I had to ask my
mother what a purchase order was and it was my very first year in the library.

Q8. What experience have you had with cooperative program planning? with cooperative
teaching?

A) ​Not so much in the elementary school, but we do a lot of special’s rotation where the
librarian takes a class into the library. But on the high school level we did lots of co-teaching.
Some examples were teaching about research or data base. But in elementary we have a lot of
technology, and I teach them about digital citizenship. It’s kind of like an addendum to the
classroom more than coteaching. With cooperative program planning, I had to promote the
Hispanic Heritage Month with online videos so we are still apart but not taking over the
classroom.

Q9. How would you go about developing a strong team approach with other teachers? How
would you get reluctant teachers to utilize the library?

A) ​We do a lot working alongside the school principal. We have library aides that work in the
library as well. When I worked at high school, I was a part of the academic leadership team,
because I wanted to know what was going on and I couldn’t buy books if I didn’t know what was
going on in the classroom. I had to look at what they were teaching and what they were doing
different times of the year. It’s important to be a part of it from the very beginning. I had to get
to know the teachers by eating with them and talking with them. I ate with them and I felt like I
couldn’t be a part of them if I didn’t socialize with them. Teacher's time is so limited, and I had
to look at what I was doing and look at the teacher’s schedule too. With English teachers, I
would say that I have a book on how to teach Antonyms. Now that things are online, you have to
know what’s out there. But if I showed them that I can do certain things then they are less
reluctant. That was how I got reluctant teachers to utilize the library.

Q10. How do you see the role of the library in the overall reading program of the school?

A) ​Things are really changing and we do a lot of online reading such as Tumblebooks to
encourage students to read. A kid doesn’t have to be in the library to read. I had to make myself
and the library an available tool. I can help you research, I can help you create or make a
makerspace. You have to be careful not to limit yourself to just reading. You have to find where
a kid's interest lies. If a kid is interested in football, then you can go to the 3D printer and print
a goal post, then you will get them interested. Students will read if they are interested not
because you tell them to read.

Q11. How would you go about: (a) promoting appreciation and interest in the use of resource
center materials? (b) promoting storytelling, story reading, book talks, and other resource
center programs?

A) ​We have book fairs along with AR to win prizes or have a dance to celebrate. AR was very
expensive, so we no longer have them. The principal requested for local authors from Lancaster
to come to the school and speak to the students. They would stay all day and show them how to
write stories. Mrs. Pipkins, the principal, also tries to fill the libraries that are culturally
relatable to students. I would go about promoting stories by starting with something students
like and move into other types of books.

Q12. What is your experience in leading professional development? Especially in leading

technology-related professional development?

A) ​Lancaster school libraries are responsible for distributing school devices to students. I have
to teach them who gets a device and who doesn’t get a device. I have to teach library aides how
to run a library. I have to teach them the Dewey decimal system, how to put books away. We
have Tex Quest which is an electronic database. We teach this to some teachers so they can
teach their students how to use it. Professional development is huge where I have to teach the
library aides because they are new this year. I teach a lot of technology to the teachers such as
Tumblebooks, Bitmoji, Windows, creating websites for teachers. You have to be the jack of all
trades in the library.

Q13. How do you ensure your own continued professional growth? In what areas do you feel
you would like to develop your professional skills and knowledge further?

A) ​I go to the Texas Library Convention every year. I didn’t go last school year because of the
pandemic. I’ve been to ALA, but I have not gone in the last few year because the district doesn’t
pay for it anymore. I have attended TSTA which is a teacher organization which keeps me up
with the political things and the legislative world. I attend webinars a lot and I do lots and lots
of reading. Well, I do think when you get my age you start letting the opportunities come your
way instead of looking for them. When I was your age, I looked for things to do.

Q14. Describe how you will create an inclusive space where diversity and equity are valued by
all learners in the school community.

A) ​I believe in finding where people mesh, and match them with their interest. You have to know
what works with certain teachers and their students, because it may not work with another class.

Q15. How do you ensure that you have appropriate resources for all learners in your school?
How do you include reading and instructional materials in both print and digital formats that
represent multiple perspectives and varying points of view?

A) ​The internet is not as problematic as it used to be. Now, I try to take care of those readers and
get the literature to them based on what they like. I try to help students with resources in
regards to databases or research. I try to reach all students that I serve. You will not give them
any resources about what they don’t know about. I EBSCO, Tex Quest, Tumblebooks are the
digital formats of materials used. Elementary students want paper copy books at school and
Tumblebooks at home.