Re: TARGET: Library Media Specialists--Where Do They Come From

[Betty Dawn Hamilton <bhamilt@TENET.EDU>]

On Mon, 30 Jun 1997, Maureen Simmons wrote:

> A) Where do Library Media Specialists come from?  Are they worn-out teachers

I came from the classroom, High School English. There were several
factors that made me decide to go into the school library. I would not
consider myself worn-out because I still had many years to teach and I
was looking for a *promotion*, not a way out!

        1.  I wanted my master's, but I didn't want to get it in one of
            my two majors, English and History, because I felt that would
            limit my future options -- classrooms for the rest of my life.

        2.  I considered becoming a counselor, but I knew that I would spend
            most of my time with problems, and I'm pretty empathetic when
            others are in pain, especially students. I couldn't see me
            dealing with that every day.

        3.  I have always loved libraries and books and *crave* being
            around them and surrounded by them.

        4.  I felt that librarianship offered intellectual challenges
            that other positions might not offer.

        5.  When I went back to school for my master's degree, not many
            females were becoming administrators in West Texas, so I
            really didn't consider that (until I had library administration
            classes, so then I went on to become certified for mid-management
            too!)

        6.  I am an academic. Librarianship fit my self-image!B

I'll be interested in what made others go into librarianship.

Betty
        Betty Dawn Hamilton * bhamilt@tenet.edu * 806.637.4523
Learning Resources Specialist * Tenet Master Trainer * Brownfield High School
                701 Cub Drive * Brownfield, TX 79316