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Meet Your Librarian!

Get to know Mrs. Underhill and how she can serve you in your school library!

Mrs. Underhill

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Mrs. Underhill is a National Board Certified Teacher with over 20 years of experience as a classroom teacher. In 2009 she took her first step toward digital literacy by challenging herself to learn 2 new types of tech in the classroom. She chose the Elmo and the Promethean (since they were both newly provided by her school district). By 2012 she had turned into a self-professing techie-geek and registered to begin her masters' degree in Library and Information Science at the University of Alabama. ​

Mrs U. is proud to serve as the librarian at DuPont Hadley Middle School in Nashville, TN. Previously she worked as a librarian at Hunters Lane High in Nashville, TN, a librarian and English teacher at Signal Mountain Middle High in Chattanooga, TN, and as an English/Reading Teacher and Literacy Coach in Osceola County, FL.

In her personal time, she enjoys babysitting her 9 grandchildren & playing with the cutest micro-mini GoldenDoodle in the whole world, Teddy. She also loves to read, of course; her favorite author is Francine Rivers. Her favorite hobby is travel because she enjoys seeing different cultures. As the leader of many student groups and a few missions trips, Ms. U has been able to travel to Spain, England, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Mexico, the Bahamas, and Haiti.

Duties:

  • plans and implements programs to highlight new books and books of interest in order to encourage enthusiastic readers

  • selects and purchases materials including books, online resources, technology, and assorted media for teachers and students that enable them to be skillful researchers and critical thinkers

  • manages the online information system for our library collection

  • editor of www.technobrary.com, the library's website

  • oversees and regularly contributes to all library social media accounts

  • publishes bi-monthly articles for the library blog

  • creates tutorials, podcasts, screencasts, and other resources for personal, online instruction

  • attends school-based and district meetings including Hadley Leadership Team, ELA Verticals, MNPS Librarian Trainings, ELA CIUM monthly district meetings, Hadley SIP meetings, Hadley MTSS data meetings, and other meetings as they arise.

  • assists with BARC coverage for teachers who are attending department meetings during that time.

  • holds trainings, one-on-one lessons, and small group help sessions for colleagues

  • individually collaborates with teachers, district librarians, and administration in an effort to support classroom instruction, enabling all patrons to be informed and ethical users of information

  • oversees the media center budget

  • determines policies and procedures which help to maintain a welcoming, organized, and useful physical space for the school community

  • trains and supervises library aides and manages volunteers who contribute to the successful operation of this facility

  • co-teaches classes on academic content revolving around information and digital literacy skills.

  • Plans & host events like Blind Date with a Book, Book Fairs, Book Drives, Reading Challenges, Battle of the Books, and more!

  • teaches one section of Personal Learning Time (with an ELA focus)

  • processes inventory (assigning barcodes and spine labels)

  • oversees book repairs (done by volunteers)

  • affixes protective covers on new books

  • facilitates back-end management of our library system (changing erroneous book information, investigating computer issues as they arise, etc...)

  • sorts through donated titles in order to determine appropriateness for our library

  • trouble-shoots and maintains electronics

  • completes grant research

  • assists in the supervision of students

  • reorganizes our collection when necessary

  • maintains visuals and decor associated with programming (like creating signage for the library) as needed

  • investigates products or services that are under consideration for purchase and reports these findings to administration or district personnel

  • makes phone calls on behalf of the library when necessary

  • maintains library schedule for class visitation

  • completes inventory for the entire school and for the library annually

  • oversees the processing of school ID cards

  • manages the reading pet therapy program

  • enters data into the online information system for our library collection

  • leads classes & mini-lessons teaching patrons how to use the book look-up system, how to find materials in the library, how to participate in library programming...

  • manages all ads on the UCView scrolling display for the school

  • editor for the Bulldog Barker, creating and designing content and posting submissions sent in by staff

  • reviews data on material usage and library visitation to make the best use of the library's time, scheduling, and materials

  • runs the Battle of the Books club

  • assists teachers with check-out of teacher materials in the back room

  • oversees all programming and rewards for student contests and activities

  • solicits from area businesses for prizes and give-aways to use to incentivize library programs

  • oversees all book circulation and trains parent and student workers in this area

  • selects book trailers that encourage students to read and motivates them to come in and check out our books; schedules these trailers to post on our Facebook page every afternoon at 3:30pm 

  • co-manages all of our social media accounts

  • oversees student aides and volunteers who contribute to the successful operation of this facility

  • sets up and tears down for special events

  • shelves books

  • supervises students who visit the library

  • reorganizes our collection as needed

  • plans and decorates the main library bulletin board & shelving displays

  • maintains visuals and decor associated with programming 

  • answers incoming calls & makes phone calls on behalf of the library when necessary

  • creates & distributes overdue notices for students monthly

  • processes the school ID cards

  • trains and assists students who need help using our book look-up system

  • advises and recommends book selection

  • maintains supplies & helps students find available resources like staplers, hole punchers, etc...

  • assists teachers with copying and a variety of paperwork

  • hangs artwork and other student work for display in the library

  • maintains a neat, clean atmosphere

  • assists teachers with check-out of teacher materials in the back room

  • assists with library inventory process

  • maintains the library computer cart

  • creates and posts appropriate signage as needed

  • assists with incentive days and student rewards that pertain to the library

Library Volunteers:

We need volunteers - students and parents - to help keep our library running smoothly! Some of the ways our volunteers contribute in the library include:

  • greeting patrons and helping them find what they are looking for

  • processing data from the student sign-in system

  • managing book check-out

  • shelving books

  • assisting with prints & copies for the patrons

  • advising and recommending book selection

  • teaching patrons how to use the book look-up system

  • helping students find available resources like staplers, hole punchers, etc...

  • hanging artwork and other student work for display in the library

  • filling copiers and printers with paper

  • setting up displays

  • laminating and cutting posters and decor

  • maintaining a neat, clean atmosphere

  • answering the phone

  • fixing protective covers on new books

  • maintaining organizational systems in storage areas

  • assisting with the reorganization of the collection when necessary

  • fixing protective covers on new books

  • reading with students

  • creating award certificates for reading incentives

  • creating slides for our UCView scrolling ads

  • entering inventory items into our system

  • AND MORE!!!!!

 

 

To be a school librarian, one must have a master's degree in a library related field because these educators influence every student's academic progress & assist teachers with planning rigorous, interesting content so that all students are future-ready! In this role, your librarian:

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