One of our greatest joys at WiLS is hearing our members tell the stories of the big and important work they are doing – interesting new projects or initiatives, or even interesting and new approaches to old projects. And, in addition to hearing about it, it makes us even happier when we can share those stories with other members. Each month, WiLS is proud to feature an interview with one of our library members. This month, we interview Christine O’Regan, Library Media Teacher Consultant at Kenosha Unified School District.
Why did you, personally, choose to work in libraries?
I have always felt like libraries chose me. When I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in elementary education 20+ years ago, I also had a minor in school library media. I applied to various school districts for teaching and school library positions. The first (and best) position was for a school library in Southeast Wisconsin. From the moment I started the job, I was hooked! I have always worked in school libraries and loved every minute of it.
As of today, I have a Master’s in Library and Information Science. I have worked in elementary and high school libraries. Currently, I am a library teacher consultant and have the privilege of working with all our district’s K-12 grade school libraries.
What is unique about the culture of your library? How do you influence it?
Our library culture is service oriented. How can we impact student achievement by helping teachers teach and students learn? We define our school libraries with the learning commons philosophy. Our libraries are a place for digital and analog resources used to create new knowledge, encouraging participatory learning, exploration, and communication. I work with a dynamic team of school librarians ever ready to evolve and serve the needs of our school communities. Together, we search for opportunities to learn and share new and innovative ways to amplify student learning.
What do you think is important to know about the community you work with? What helps you understand their needs?
I work in one of the largest school districts in that state, with a diverse population. Luckily, we have highly qualified library professionals in each of our buildings. Our library staff is conscientious of the individual needs of their school community. They are involved not only in their own library programming, but activities, committee work, and events within their schools. We are also involved in community partnerships with our public and local academic libraries, and we welcome the opportunity for more. We are a vital part of the school and broader community. This involvement creates a welcoming, service-oriented library learning commons for everyone.
What big ideas are being worked on at your library? What problems are being solved?
Currently, our focus is on understanding the new standards where school library programs are an integral part of teaching and providing appropriate resources and technology tools for student achievement.
Do you have anything else you’d like to share here?
With our school districts working to communicate student achievement through data, a school librarian can help. With our teachers working to use technology to amplify student learning, a school librarian can help. With our students working to shift through the bombardment of information, a school librarian can help. This is an exciting time to be a school librarian!
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These interviews are part of a series of interviews with both WiLS library and vendor partners. Your feedback is appreciated. If you have any to offer on this article, or suggestions for upcoming interviews, contact Andrea Coffin at acoffin@wils.org.