Name: Amanda Jones
Title: Teacher-Librarian
No. of Years as a Librarian: 6
Location: Live Oak Middle School in Watson, LA
Twitter: @abmack33 and @LOMiddleLibrary
Instagram: @lom_library
Website: librarianjones.com
Having worked 20 years at the same middle school that she attended, Amanda Jones is not only a change-maker in her alma mater, but her work in advocating for the profession on a state and national level received recognition for being honored as one of the 2021 School Librarian of the Year winners. Get to know teacher-librarican™, Amanda Jones!
Who are you most starstruck by?
I am starstruck by authors. I get tongue-tied when I speak with just about every author. One of my favorite memories was getting to meet Mary Downing Hahn and getting her to autograph a book for my daughter. Her books were some of my favorites in middle school!
What is your go-to fun fact about yourself?
I teach many students whose parents I taught. I call them my grand-students and they started calling me Mrs. Meemaw! I get a kick out of it.
What is a mind-boggling fact you read about recently?
There are more LEGO mini-figures than people on this planet.
What is the one object you can’t live without at your library desk?
Post-It Notes. I use them for everything: bookmarks, reminders, to label stacks of papers, etc.
How have you pivoted professionally for COVID-19?
COVID-19 forced me to think of ways to reach my students virtually, which I had never done before. I learned how to use so many new technology platforms and websites that I never knew existed beforehand.
Which book character would you trade places with in a heartbeat?
Hermione Granger
What is something new that you just tried?
I just tried sashimi for the first time! It tasted delicious, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was eating raw fish.
What is the one book you can read over and over again?
Little Women. I named my daughter after Jo March.
What do you like the most about being a librarian?
My favorite thing about being a school librarian is connecting with the students, whether it is during a lesson or helping them find a book.
What made you want to become a librarian?
While I was in college working on my elementary education degree, I read the first 3 Harry Potter books (they were new at the time). The books reignited my passion for reading, that had been dormant for a few years, and I immediately visited my education advisor to find out how to get my school librarian certification.
