At the beginning of this year, Ms. Cohan assumed the position of library coordinator.  She had been an English teacher for over ten years, but this year, she made the switch from the classroom to the library. 

Ms. Cohan has worked at Schreiber since 2006 as an English teacher, and during her time here, she decided to pursue further education getting a degree in Library Science.  She chose to go for this particular degree because she found it interesting and knew it would help her in the future, even if she did not become a librarian. 

“Teachers often continue their education, so when I decided to pursue another degree, I decided to get one in another discipline that would be interesting and provide pathways for the future.  There were a few colleagues at Schreiber who encouraged me to complete the Masters in Library Science.  Over the years, I have used many library skills in the English classroom, especially regarding research,” said Ms. Cohan. 

After working as an English teacher for 15  years, adjusting to a different job takes time and effort.  Naturally, Ms. Cohan had to adapt to her new position, but she says that with the help of her colleagues, the switch was not very difficult and turned out to be a fulfilling experience.  Although she is no longer a classroom teacher, she still works with students daily, interacts with the English department and her other colleagues, and even teaches some classes.  For example, in Ms. Sacha’s Trends in Lit class, Ms. Cohan came in for a period and talked about different research databases and how to properly look into information online. 

“My role as a librarian is vastly different from that of an English teacher, but luckily, I have had the support of the faculty and the students, which made the transition much easier.  This role still gives me the opportunity to work with students, teach classes, and work with my colleagues throughout the entire building.  It has been a great experience overall,” she said. 

In addition to discussing research databases, Ms. Cohan showed students how to access the Library Media Center website.  One change Ms. Cohan made to the library was refurbishing its page on portnet.org.  She made it much easier to use and much more fun and interactive.  It is designed in a very colorful and fun way, and this encourages students to go on the website and spend time on it.  Also, the website is constantly updated, so there is always something new to look at. 

“We revised the website to make it more inclusive and user-friendly, and we are constantly updating with new information,” said Ms. Cohan. 

Something else Ms. Cohan has been working on since assuming her new position is making the library a welcoming place for all students and staff.  This year, she has encouraged teachers to bring their students into the library for assignments, and as an example, she says that Ms. Schmidt brought in her junior class for a month to work on a reading & writing workshop.  She also mentions that Ms. Krebs brought her chemistry classes into the library for two separate research assignments. 

“The library staff and I have worked to welcome all students and staff into the library.  We want it to be a collaborative space for everyone,” said Ms. Cohan. 

Another thing she added to the library to attract more students was designating a table for puzzles and word games.  Every day, there are students trying to put the pieces of puzzles together.  This not only stimulates more activity in the library but also allows students to socialize with one another and meet new people.

Ms. Cohan’s transition to the library has been great for both her and all the students and other staff at Schreiber.  The library has only improved since her arrival, and with her contributions, it will continue to flourish.