Tana Shinn: Blanche E. Woolls Recipient

My path to librarianship began when I earned my Bachelors degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from Florida Southern College. I graduated summa cum laude, received the prestigious Presidents Award, and was ranked second in my class. As a first grade teacher, my greatest joy was teaching children to read and introducing them to quality literature. I loved seeing my students turned on to reading and enjoyed helping them find a book that matched their interests and really moved or excited them. It was in those moments that I became interested in becoming a school media specialist. Maintaining a small library as a preschool director and assisting school media specialists as a parent volunteer further piqued my interest in a library career. I am now a graduate student at the University of South Florida. My goal is to receive my Masters degree in Library and Information Science and become a certified school media specialist. In addition to graduate student, the other hats I wear include wife, mother of three, Sunday school teacher, PTA treasurer, and PEO member.