Shannon McClintock Miller Blog Series Part 1: Why I Became a School Librarian and Why I'll Always Love This Work

I think I may have been practicing to be a teacher librarian long before I even knew it. When my sister Heather and I were little, we used to play school where we were teachers and librarians. We'd set up our books, create our own little library, check books in and out, and take turns being the librarian or teacher. We even had a little stamp and cards for our books, just like a real library. It was just the best!

What makes me smile even more about that story is that Heather is a teacher librarian now, too. I don't think either of us could have imagined then that something we were simply pretending to do would become such a special part of who we are.

I didn’t become a school librarian because I thought it would be a quiet job surrounded by books. I became a librarian because I loved the idea of creating a place where everyone could find something they loved, discover something new, and know they belonged. Books were always at the heart of that, but I quickly learned that a school library is about so much more than what's on the shelves. It’s a place where books and technology come together, where curiosity leads to innovation, and where students can explore their ideas, create, question, and share their voices. It’s about giving students the opportunity to find their next favorite book, follow an interest, try something new, use technology in meaningful ways, and most importantly, know that their ideas matter and that they have a place to be seen and heard.

After almost 20 years as a teacher librarian, I still love that no two days are the same. One day I might be helping a student find the perfect book, collaborating with a teacher, unpacking new books, planning a Makerspace experience, helping with research, or thinking about how to make our library an even better place for students. Other days are filled with planning, collection development, emails, meetings, and all of the behind-the-scenes work that makes a library run. There’s always something happening, and honestly, I wouldn't want it any other way.

A big part of that behind-the-scenes work is building a collection that reflects the students and teachers in our school. I’m constantly thinking about what students are reading, what they’re curious about, what books they’re asking for, what voices and perspectives need to be represented, and where there might be gaps in our collection. Tools like Follett Content’s Titlewave^® are part of that process for me, helping me discover new books, explore resources, and make thoughtful choices for our library. But the starting point is always the same: What do my students need, and what might help them discover something new?

The students will always be the best part of my job. It’s the reluctant reader who finds a book they love, the student who becomes completely fascinated by a new topic, the child who wants to create something in the Makerspace, or the student who comes back to tell me about a book they just finished. Sometimes the most important moments in a library are the ones that seem very small like a conversation, a discovery, a recommendation, or a student finding a place where they feel comfortable. Those are the moments that remind me why this work matters.

Being a school librarian isn't always easy. There’s never enough time, there are always more ideas to try, and our role continues to grow and change. Today we’re thinking about reading and literacy, technology, media, and information literacy, AI, creativity, research, student voice, and so much more. But I think that’s also what makes this such an exciting profession. We get to keep learning alongside our students and fellow teachers. We get to try new things, rethink what we’ve always done, and sometimes figure things out right alongside them. We don't have to know everything. Sometimes we just need to be willing to say, “Let's figure it out together.”

And that’s really what I love about being a school librarian. It’s a job that has continued to grow and change right alongside me. The books are still at the heart of it, but there’s so much more like technology, creativity, innovation, collaboration, curiosity, and the opportunity to help students discover what they can do and know that their voices matter.

Today, I’m kicking off a new blog series about being a school librarian. I’ll be taking you behind the scenes of my days in the library and sharing the books, ideas, challenges, successes, spaces, experiences, and people that make this work what it is. I’ll share the things that make me excited to come to the library, the things that challenge me, and the things I’m still learning, along with the tools and resources that are part of my everyday work.

When I think back to Heather and me playing librarian as kids, I never could’ve imagined where those little pretend libraries would lead us. What started with two sisters creating their own little libraries has stayed with us in ways we never could’ve planned.

And maybe that’s one of my favorite things about being a librarian. After all these years, I still get to play with ideas, discover new books, create new things, learn alongside others, and help make the library a place where people feel heard and inspired. I’m excited to share more of that journey with you in this new series.

About Shannon

Shannon McClintock Miller is a teacher librarian, international speaker, consultant and author who has a passion for education, librarianship, advocacy, technology, social media and making a difference in the world and lives of others, especially children. Shannon brings a special expertise and vision to conversations around school libraries, education, technology, creativity and student voice. 

Shannon is the District Teacher Librarian and Innovation Director at Van Meter Community School in Iowa and Future Ready Librarians Leader working with students, librarians, educators and others around the world every day. She is also the Capstone Champion and Follett Thought Leader. She works with Book Creator as the Future Ready Advocate. Shannon is the author of the award winning blog, The Library Voice.

You can find Shannon at @shannonmmiller on Twitter and Instagram and by following her blog, thelibraryvoice.com or her website shannonmcclintockmiller.com.