Hannah Miller
Hannah Miller is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in public relations at the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Currently, she works as a communications intern for the college and will graduate in May.
Posted April 9, 2019
By Hannah Miller, communications intern
Each year, Library Journal spotlights about 50 librarians who are redefining what it means to be a librarian. This year, Library and Information Science alumna Jennifer Thrift (MLIS, 2002) was named one of LJ’s Movers & Shakers.
Thrift is a teacher librarian for third through fifth grade at Charles Pinckney Elementary School in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. We had the chance to catch up with Thrift and learn more about the impact she’s making on her community.
Editor’s note: Alumna Tamara King was also named to the 2019 Movers & Shakers list. Read our Q&A with her, too.
Walk us through a normal day on the job.
Our school day starts bright and early at 7 a.m. I work with a news crew each morning
when I arrive to school while managing morning circulation (turning on computers and
logging into the circulation system to get it ready for self-checkout). My schedule
changes every day because our school library functions on a flexible schedule. Some
days I will be participating in Room Transformations, integrating standards across
grade levels, and other days I may be participating in a Breakout (an escape room
concept). Each day is student-centered, and my schedule will change based on the needs
of my students. This flexibility has allowed for a very busy library and a nonstop
librarian.
How did your degree from SLIS prepare you for your career, particularly for the work
that earned your Movers & Shakers recognition?
During my time in the SLIS program at USC, I was required to collaborate with other
librarians and teachers. Collaboration requires the teacher librarian to build relationships.
These relationships are why I became a Mover & Shaker. I firmly believe that relationships
with your students, parents, teachers, community members and other teacher librarians
are the key to success.
Were there any faculty members or staff at SLIS who influenced who you are as a librarian?
Or were there specific lessons or advice that still resonate with you today?
Dr. Dan Barron was the most inspirational professor in SLIS. He made learning engaging
and always stayed positive. Dr. Barron was always searching for new and innovative
ways to engage students and make learning available for everyone.
How does your work impact your community?
Our community is so involved in the events going on in our library. Each year we sponsor
Read Like a Sports Star Week, where local athletes visit our school to read with our
students. We also host our annual Dr. Seuss event, where local doctors join us to
celebrate literacy. Our high school teacher cadets work with us to transform rooms
and #SetTheStageToEngage.
What’s your mantra as a librarian?
FAIL stands for First Attempt in Learning — You haven't learned that YET! Never give
up and don't take NO for an answer.
Do you have advice for students and early-career librarians? What are some things
you wish you would have known when you first started out
Remember that it is OK to make mistakes as long as you learn from them. Your students’
needs come first. Focus on what is best for them, and every decision you make will
be right. The best way to get "buy in" from your faculty/staff is to build relationships.
These relationships will allow you to get input and create a space that everyone has
created.
You can follow Thrift on social media: