Audrey Berns

TKC interviewed Janet Mees Reinert, librarian, about student involvement with the KHS library.

TKC: How long have you been working at Kirkwood as a librarian?

“This is my second year as a librarian. I was a social studies teacher for a long time, I started way back in ‘99 for five years. Then I quit for seven [years] to stay home, and this is my sixth year back, but only my second year [as a librarian].”

TKC: How do you think the Pride Center has helped draw students to the library?

“It’s pretty [helpful] I see a lot of students coming through. I like it because there’s teachers coming through too so it’s become more of a hub of academics together.We see kids coming in and out all of the time.”

TKC: Have you gotten any specific feedback from students and teachers?

“I have not heard a lot of feedback about it from teachers, it’s just something they have to do. I know at one point that it was [supposed to be] before and after school too. Which would be cool but I don’t know if they can figure out the schedules, especially with budget cuts.”

TKC: Do you think there’s a decrease in the amount of kids who go to the library for books, because of techonology and such?

“We always ask students at orientations and so forth, would you prefer to read books online versus read books [hard copy]. And when it comes to reading for pleasure kids still like to read a lot of books in their hands. Our numbers [of kids coming in] are actually increasing, at least [according to] our sign-in. To be honest, the pride center [has] different studies that are going on about reading and what teachers are doing in their classrooms seem to be bringing in a lot of kids into the library and checking out books. [The library] doesn’t seem to be going away. I think, in library schools, they’re always like ‘oh what is going to happen to the library!’ and they’ve been talking about that for over a decade because of Internet and technology, but now we change what we do to make sure we’re meeting the needs of the school. [For example,] we have a peer tutoring program right now where kids sign up online and we make matches and that sort of thing has been added.

TKC: What made you want to move from being a social studies teacher to a librarian?”

“I loved teaching but I do like to work with kids one-on-one. So that was appealing, that I could still do that. I would never want to leave [a job] where I don’t work with kids anymore. That would be a hard transition because I like that part. It was really neat to have that opportunity to work with kids one-on-one rather than in a whole classroom setting. I love walking in and not knowing what your day is gonna look like and so you just help people as they come in, and that’s really the fun. Being around books is really fun too, I’ve always loved reading books and now it’s part of my job.”

TKC: Why do you like working with students?

“They’re interesting. [Students] are in a really neat time of transition and so it’s [nice] to see them find their passion and make a difference. It’s very rewarding. I like teenagers and toddlers. I always have. I think they have some similarities too. They’re trying to get their independence so they’re at a really neat verbal age [that is] good for discussion, they’re thinking a lot about themselves and where they want to be.”

TKC: What’s your favorite book?

“Recently I just read March, by Geraldine Brooks. I had read Little Women to my daughter just recently and I loved that when I was growing up. It’s historical fiction and I always like historical fiction being a social studies teacher, I find that interesting to find out about that era. I don’t know if I have a favorite. I really like Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver that took place in Africa. So I always [am drawn to] books that take me to a place where I wouldn’t get to see.”