Introduction

Hi! My name is Susanne and I live in Montgomery, AL. I have a bachelor’s degree in Business Education. As of October 2009, I have a master’s in Library Educational Media. I have 8 years combined experience in Business Education and Library Media. I’ve been an elementary librarian as well as taught various computer applications courses. My passion is helping children find appropriate books to read. My goal is to inspire readers. I believe each child can be inspired to read through direction from a knowledgeable individual. Many schools have an open access library with a librarian that desires to inspire readers. Unfortunately, too many schools have lost sight of that ideal. With the infiltration of technology, books and the joy of reading have been passed over. This may sound strange coming from someone with a strong technology background, but I’ve found that most children have a natural curiosity and interest in technology. Far fewer children have a natural curiosity and interest in books. There are many statistical correlations between reading and academic success. (In a future post, I will detail some of these figures.) In my experience, if we haven’t inspired children to read by Middle School/Junior High, we’ve lost them. Together, we can inspire readers. It will not be easy, but it is definitely worth the effort.