Auntie Librarian

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1nlcKbel7s4bApuluHezZ2Fbkwha4iZ3c9WJd1sUFFgk/edit?usp=sharing

I am a big fan of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass and the "Song of Myself".  A while back one of my library superhero friends Heather Moorefield-Lang asked me to write something telling about my day-to-day work as a school librarian. The piece below is what I sent her. Obviously it was inspired by Whitman. I think about adding to it sometimes.  Every once and a while when I need a little boost I read this, and it helps me get back into an empowered, confident, optimistic,  mindset.


 I am a free reading choice warrior one minute and a book cleaner the next. 
 
 I am the tie-er of shoes and the wiper of snot. 
 
 I am a change maker. I am a rule bender.
 
 I am a champion of students - more freedoms, more choices, more voice, more money.
 
 I am the webmaster.
 I am the school news program sponsor and producer.
 I am the book talker. 
 Field trip planner
 Book donator
 Grant writer 
 Problem solver 
 I am an early adopter.
 Research guru
 Storytime goddess 
 Book repair queen 
 Collaborator
 Book trailer junkie
 Mess maker 
 Fine forgiver
 Tech troubleshooter
 Book fair diva
 Bulletin board creator
 Flying by the seat of my pants way too much
 The first lady of Giveaways and prizes 
 
I am the librarian who lets the kids play computer games because it is good for their brains. 
 
I check out scissors duct tape and glue. 
 
I am the YES of course you can (fill in the blank) bring your class in five minutes, check out three books over the limit, use whatever, borrow whatever, 
I am the why not 
I am the come on in 
 
I see the way some of the students look at me when I read to them, or see them in the halls. In their eyes I see that I am magic and possibility to them. I see that I am a light in their lives. 

I get so much LOVE from the children I work with. I am regularly treated to real hugs and genuine smiles at school. Even the other night at the most unlikely time and place, as I crossed the parking lot from the nail salon, a young voice called out 20 or so yards away,  "Hey! Is that my library teacher? Hey! It is my library teacher! Mrs. Tazerouti! Hey!" I wave and smile and say hello, relieved that this time I am not being spotted coming out of the liquor store.  It is dark and I can't make out who it is. But I see the car, an older car that could use some work, parked in an accessible parking space. The young boy triumphantly shouts now, louder, across the parking lot, "I am reading a book! It is amazing!" He gives me a thumbs up. I yell back, "That is great! Keep reading!" I am joyous. Be still my heart!  I recently re-watched Dances With Wolves, and it reminded me of this scene with this shouting declaration of love across the distance. 😆