Introduce Yourselves!

[Kristin Fontichiaro]

Hi, y'all -- Some of us know each other face-to-face, others through Twitter, blogs, or Facebook. Tell us a little bit about who you are.

And then hop over here and add yourself to the connectivity chart. Let's see how information traveled and connected you to this book club!

[Beth Friese]

Hi all!

My name is Beth Friese. I tweet @librarybeth.

I graduated with my M.Ed. in Instructional Technology/School Library Media from the University of Georgia (UGA) in 2006. I decided to stay in school and after a few twists and turns, I began my Ph. D. in Language and Literacy Education at UGA. I just submitted my comprehensive exams. I'm preparing for my dissertation research, which will study students in the middle grades and their literacies in school and public libraries.

Right now, I teach courses in children's literature and language arts to preservice elementary and middle school teachers. As you can imagine, my students hear a LOT about librarians and all the ways that libraries help!

I live in Georgia, USA with my husband and our three kids, ages 12, 10, and 5. One of my children is a disengaged learner, which is one of the main personal reasons why school reform is so important to me. He is a smart kid who is bored by school. I dream of the day when education is the kind of meaningful, relevant experience that will set his curiosity on fire. I wish that for every child and see the library and librarian as essential to that dream.

As I mentioned in the plans for the book group, I liked the way that Steph and Smokey mentioned their personal inquiries at the bottom of p. xiv. I suggested that we might share some of our own personal interests as a way to get to know each other.

When I'm not doing my doctoral student work, I love graphic novels (especially graphic nonfiction), poetry, music, self-taught art, and whatever my kids are into. My doc student inquiries (which are topics of personal interest, too) usually focus on the intersections between libraries and literacies. I also love theory (my undergrad major was philosophy) and conducting research. (Hopefully you all are more exciting than I am!)

Looking forward to getting to know you all better.

Beth

[Liz Deskins]

Hi, This is Liz Deskins, an elementary media specialist from Hilliard, Ohio (a suburb of Columbus). I love this opportunity to share ideas with others who understand our unique place in the school setting. Luckily for me, in my district inquiry is a expected learning and teaching tool for all teachers, and this makes it easier to practice collaborative inquiry. I am also reading this book with my literacy coach, so the multiple perspectives will be eye-opening, I hope.
Another connection, --I along with my colleage Christina Dorr, will be leading an online course for AASL "Inquiring Minds Want to Know: Infusing Literacy Skills into the Inquiry Process" starting the middle of January, and I know these discussions will add to the discussions on that course as well.
O.K. true confessions time; have not actually started "reading" the book yet! I have looked at the cover, back, inside covers and resources pages; the way I always start my reading of a nonfiction book. I have a long day of sitting in a hospital waiting room tomorrow, and this book is what I am taking to read and process. And... the hospital has free wi-fi available, so I can make comments as I think of them, just like a real discussion. Gosh, this is going to be great fun!

[Joan Upell]

Hi Everyone,

My name is Joan Upell and I am currently one of two School Library Coordinators for the South Dakota State Library. I travel 50% of the time to visit all of the school libraries east river (Missouri River) and work remotely from home the other 50%. Home is the U2 Ranch just north of Eagle Butte on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation.

Before beginning work for the state in 2008, I was the K-12 librarian at Tiospaye Topa School, a Bureau of Indian Education school on the reservation, for 10 years. I spent 15 years as the K-5 librarian at Ravinia School in Highland Park, Illinois (suburb of Chicago), 2 years at a K-8 school in rural Dwight, Illinois, and 1 year and 10 summers in the children's department of the Park Ridge Public Library in suburban Chicago. All of that adds up to about 30 years of a very rewarding career with kids and libraries!

When I'm not being a librarian I spend time with books, horses, cows, cats and grandchildren - not necessarily in that order! I love what the tools of technology allow me to do both personally and professionaly.

Much has changed since I received my MLS from the University of Michigan in 1980 - the terms, the standards, the technology, etc. However, a love of reading and learning for life have always been my major goals for my students and myself. I'm looking forward to some informative discussions about this book as we also work to revise our South Dakota school library standards and guidelines in the months to come.

Thanks for this opportunity,
Joan

[Kristin Fontichiaro]

Hi, Joan -- Go Blue! I'm an adjunct at the University of Michigan -- and boy, that's a department that has changed from the SILS days when you were there. We probably know lots of folks in common ... and I bet we both had Margaret Taylor for children's lit! I'm really passionate about supporting preservice school librarians and helping them have the tools and courage they need to be meaningful change agents in their schools. One of our current students is in this book club, too! -- Kristin

[Suzanne Neuman]

How many U of M alumni can we count? I received my Masters in Social Work there a looooong time ago! I also grew up in Deerfield (even longer ago), just next to Highland Park. My hats off to Joan from going from Highland Park to the Res - wow!

[Kristin Fontichiaro]

Wow - Small world, indeed. Social Work has a fancy new building on campus now, and the Frieze Building (its former home) has been demolished to make way for the new North Quad, which will host the School of Information (the new incarnation of SILS) starting in the fall. Which will be strange for me, because I was an undergrad in the the Theatre Dept in the Frieze Building back in the day.

OK, Kristina, time for you to chime in as the CURRENT UM student!

[Suzanne Neuman]

That was one old building - even in the 80's!

[Kristin Fontichiaro]

Definitely! But the vision of what will stand in its place is really neat: a building that is both housing for students and a spot for academics.

[Joan Upell]

Hi Suzanne,
I have several friends who still live in Deerfield and teach in Highland Park. Both places have changed a lot in just the time I have lived in SD.
Lots of connections,
Joan

[Suzanne Neuman]

Yes, they have - but not as big a change as going to the res! How much technology do your kids have access to? Do they have much at home?

[Joan Upell]

Tiospaye Topa opened in 1997 and I developed the library beginning the second year of the school. It was a great experience. From day one we had and they continue to have excellent access to technology - wireless, laptops, multiple labs, smart boards, etc. The majority of the students have no Internet access at home, but more and more have cell phones. The difficulty now is the funding to support the number of staff needed and in attracting staff to our remote area. I miss the TI line as I work from home on my satellite connection!

[Joan Upell]

Hi Kristin,

Wow- small world! I believe I had Helen Snoke and she was also my advisor. I was a dorm librarian at West Quad. Do they still have those libraries?

We are also working with preservice teachers in our state to educate them about the school librarian and library - modeling collaboration for the adults as well as the students!

Joan