Between the Lines: May Member Spotlight

Mary Hopkins
Librarian
Del Valle Middle School

1. What inspired you to become a librarian?

During my graduate studies, I was offered an assistantship to work in the Learning Library at the College of Education at Northern Illinois. I accepted and found that I loved it. I became a cataloger and worked to transition to a small library at a remote university campus. I loved helping students find the relevant information in their various subjects. Their laughter and glee when they saw a humorous passage in a story, or their tears when reading something sad, appealed to me and my desire to travel the world through books and share this experience with students. I applied to become a librarian, and 28 years later, I am still in the role. Finally, I am at a place that allows me to share the world with my students in diverse ways.

2. What is an innovative practice at your library/organization (current or former) that you would like to share with others?

I wrote an Innovative Education Grant in 2022 and 2023, and I received the grant both years. It provided funding for “A Battle of Lone Star Books” at the three middle schools in my district. We had attended the Battle of the Books in our region for many years, and the same schools consistently won. I figured we could host one locally and give our students a chance to experience success at the event.  Through collaboration with other district librarians to plan the event, it became a success. Each school could enter up to three teams of no more than seven students. Each team member got a T-shirt, a goody bag, and books. A traveling trophy was designed that continues to be passed from school to school. We concluded the contest with medals for the first three winning teams and fun medals for all participants. We have held our district Battle of the Books for three years, and each middle school has won the traveling trophy. I will host the contest again next year, marking our fourth year, and my school hopes to reclaim the traveling trophy.

3. If you could have dinner with three authors (living or dead), who would they be and why?

That is a hard question for me to answer with all the genres that I like to read. I would like to have dinner with Woody Guthrie, who wrote the folk song, “This Land is Your Land”, and the book Bound for Glory. He was born in the little town where I grew up in Oklahoma. I would love to know more about what our hometown was like when he was a boy. April Henry writes a good murder mystery with lots of suspense. I once gave a book talk about her books, and now I can’t keep them on the shelf. Charles Schulz, the creator of Peanuts and Snoopy, makes me laugh, and even though I have read all the cartoons over the years, they still bring a smile to my face. We all need to laugh to keep ourselves healthy.

4. What are you reading right now?

I am reading  Murder at the Dressmaker’s Salon-a Cleopatra Fox Mystery Book 4 by C.J. Archer, which is a cozy mystery or what I call Nancy Drew for adults, Assignment London: A WWII Novel of Naval Intelligence and Spies, Book 2 by Peter J. Azzole, and American Spirits: The Famous Fox Sisters and the Mysterious Fad that Haunted a Nation, a young adult book by Barb Rosenstock.

5. What is your most memorable Texas Library Association Experience?

I met Julie Andrews at TLA when she and her daughter were promoting their Children’s Book. I stood in line and had the book autographed. We couldn’t talk long, but I told her I appreciated all the love and beauty she brought to the world through her singing. I took my book, then she called me back and we chatted about her movies, which I had seen as a child, and eventually took my children to see.

6. Advice to new librarians?

Get to know your collection. Weed out the old books and periodicals that are there. Make this library your own and love it. Get to know your patrons and discover what they enjoy reading and doing. Love what you read, and then let others know that you love your job. I really do love my job.

7. Share your hobbies, hidden talents, or anything people might not know about you.

I am a lifetime Girl Scout member. I worked at camps in Oklahoma, Illinois, and Canada when I was in college. I was constantly sharing new activities and experiences with middle school-aged girls.  I later served as a Girl Scout leader for 13 years, leading a troop with my twins and other girls. I love to cook and collect cookbooks. I collect and share family stories, and I come from a long line of storytellers.

8. Please finish this sentence. “I am a TLA member because…”

It provides me with the opportunity to meet librarians from all over Texas and beyond. I often tell administrators that TLA is the best place for librarians to receive in-service training that directly affects them and relates to their job. I enjoy volunteering, and each year I have done that at the state conference. It is fun helping and meeting librarians who are also service-minded.