Kelley Peoples makes sure Margaret Elementary’s media center is stocked with the latest books her students want to read.

The media center at Margaret Elementary School was abuzz with third and fourth graders returning books and checking out new ones.   Kelley Peoples seemed totally unfazed by the bustle of activity as she talked with the children about their selections.

“Did you like it?” she asked as one student showed her the book she was returning.  

The girl nodded.

“I’m glad.  I thought you would.”

Then she fielded a request from another student who was having trouble locating a book.  

“I solve all the world’s problems here,” she said with a smile as she went to the shelves to help the youngster locate The Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

Peoples is anything but the stereotypical librarian.   Described by students as “awesome” and “a good librarian, the best one I’ve seen yet” and by her colleagues as unique, energetic, straightforward and innovative, the National Board Certified Librarian was the recipient of this year’s Alabama Library Expo Herman Moore LAMP and President’s Award.

In between talking with and helping students who passed in and out of the media center, she explained why she loves her work, the difference between a library and a media center, and why she likes to fill hers with the books students want to read.

The books students want:  “My sole purpose is to instill the love of reading in children.  In order to do that, I have to have what kids want to read.  I’m like a kid at Christmas when I get to order books for them I know they’re going to love.  When I’m putting books in kids’ hands and having them come back and say, ‘Ms. Peoples, that was a great book,’ I feel like I’ve done my job.”

What are the students’ favorite books?   “Many of them, believe it or not, really like to read non-fiction books.  Our first and second graders will check out non-fiction before they’ll choose a picture book.  Some of the popular choices are books about animals, transportation, snakes — I can’t keep those books on the shelves: dinosaurs and pets.  The older kids like Dork Diaries and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and they’re really into graphic novels.  They also read mysteries and some of the scary stories.”

Is it a library or a media center?  The terms are still often used interchangeably, but “it’s called a media center now because we have both print and non-print resources.  I’m also teaching them what’s available on the web, and we’re trying to go digital with ebooks.  Many of my kids are using Kindles and iPads.  The old card catalog system is obsolete now.”

The media center’s role:  “The library should be the literacy hub of a school.  Last year, our circulation was 45,000 books, and our test scores here are a reflection of that.  We have excellent reading scores. “

Still a teacher:  Peoples has been a media specialist for six years, after eight years as an elementary grades teacher.  “I’m still a classroom teacher.  I know what teachers need, I know what students need, and I know the curriculum.  I may not be with kids the whole day, but when they come here individually or as a class, I’m teaching them lessons here in the library.  All of our students and teachers have access to the library all day.”

The best advice she ever received:  “My mother always told me, ‘Stay determined, and don’t give up.’  I also believe that if you’re going to do something, do it right.  Otherwise, don’t do it at all.”

Her favorite indulgence:  Driving to 1980s music on XM Radio.

When she’s not in the library:  “I like to travel.  My favorite place to go is the beach, and I love Siesta Key at Sarasota.  I’m there every summer, sometimes twice.  I also like working on projects around the house, and I’m always reading, but I often find myself reading children’s books so I can stay in touch with what the kids are reading.”

A destination she’d like to visit:  “Italy.  There’s so much history and art there.  And food.  I love Italian food, so I’d love to get some authentic.”