If there’s one thing someone should never do is judge a book by its cover, even with the phrase being as well known as it is, people still judge from appearance. Mrs. Williamson, the Shadow Ridge librarian, is here to express that there is much more than the eye can see.
Many people may think that the librarian only checks books in and out, but Mrs. Williamson shows people that a librarian does much more. She is constantly going in and out of classes teaching students various subjects, covering topics such as politics and news literacy, to fun sessions informing people of the current events in the world.
Mrs. Williamson was originally a science and social studies teacher before becoming the school’s librarian, spending 8 years in middle schools and 10 years in high schools. With a teaching license endorsed by UNLV, Mrs. Williamson still enjoys teaching kids even outside of the library.
One of the things she appreciates about being a librarian is her flexibility in her schedule. Mrs. Williamson is always able to collaborate with teachers to add fun days for students and teachers. She invites teachers and students to the library for fun activities, and she has fun sessions with the art classes where she requests students that students make decorations for the library and the school itself.
Mrs. Williamson ensures the students enjoy how she’s shaped the library to a reading zone to a place of entertainment for everyone. Mrs. Williamson keeps the library interesting with games and activities like Sudoku, ping-pong, coloring books, and small contests for the kids to participate in to win small prizes.
Mrs. Williamson really enjoys being the librarian as it allows her to interact with the student body even more than teachers do. She builds relationships and bonds with her student aides as well as the regulars who come in and out of the library. She believes that having someone to trust is something that everyone should be able to have, and she strives to be that safe space for as many students who may need it.
“I like that she’s so honest and I felt like the bond we created over books gave me a comfortable place to talk about my interests as well as my work,” stated Raine Gomes, a senior at the school.
Mrs. Williamson is always open to helping students handle exam week. She realizes that not all students have the greatest study habits and may not truly know how to study in a proper manner. To help students with their upcoming assessments, she helps people study for things such as the ACT, the SAT, ASVAB, and any other fields she can assist others in.
One thing she would like to say to those who haven’t experienced the school library is, “Don’t be afraid to come in and walk around, whether you’re here for a book or just during lunch, the library has activities for you to indulge in and we would love to see students enjoying their time here,” says Mrs. Williamson
