I have worked at Mountain Home Public Schools since 1985. In that time I have been a 6th and 7th grade social studies teacher, a bus driver, bowling coach, kindergarten librarian and since 2000 I have been the high school librarian and department head. I am responsible for our district's library programming, staff training and online catalog software.
When I was growing up on a small farm in a very rural area my parents always told me that education and reading were the way to succeed. No matter how tight money was we always had material to read and on our weekly trips to town we would get all the library books we could carry. That attitude has served me well and in 1979 I graduated from Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri (now called SMU, Southwest Missouri University) with a lifetime teaching certificate in elementary education and a minor in History. After teaching several years I transferred to the kindergarten library and I have never looked back. Being a librarian is my true calling in life. In 1995 I earned my Masters of Science (MS) in Educational Media and Library Science from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas In 2003 I successfully completed my national boards and I am proud to be my school district’s first national board certified teacher. In November 2012 I successfully completed my National Board for Professional Standards renewal and I am now an NBCT until 2023. Since I believe the world is run by those that “show up” I have always been the first to volunteer. I currently volunteer as the state webmaster for USBC youth bowling, regional USBC secretary/treasurer and for nearly 20 years I was the Riverlake Lanes volunteer youth director. I have also been involved in FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) robotics and coached both the Lego League teams and the high school robotics team. During my time as the robotics coach we won 3 regional championships and the Chairman’s award among others.
I have been a member of the Arkansas Association of Instructional Media (AAIM), the Arkansas Library Association (ArLA) and the Arkansas Association of School Librarians (ArASL) since 1992. During that time I have served in many capacities and I have held virtually every position in AAIM including president and conference chair. I currently serve as : NAESC district co-op representative, AAIM treasurer, long range planning chair and exhibits chair, Mountain Home High School Leadership team and ACSIP team, Mountain Home Public Schools finance committee secretary, vertical team leader and Common Core (HUB) planning, training and implementation. As a member of ArLA I have served as the Intellectual Freedom Chair, constitution chair and I am proud to say I am currently the ArLA president.
As a member of ALA, AASL and AASL/SPVS I have attended most ALA conferences and mid- winter meetings since joining as a personal member in 2002. I have been the Arkansas Affiliate Representative to the American Library Association ArASL division and I am served two terms as national affiliate assembly secretary and was appointed as a member of the AASL Senior Project/Capstone Project Task Force. In 2013 I was elected to the American Association of School Librarians Board of Directors. In 2005 AAIM honored me with the Librarian of the Year award. I have also been awarded the 2006 Hastings Educator of the Year award, 2007 Library Program of the Year and in 2010 the Leadership award. During the summer of 2007 I was honored to work with the Arkansas Department of Education on my state's first ever Library Media Frameworks for school librarians.
I have been so blessed in my career and I want to give back to the organizations such as ArLA and ArASL that have helped me continue to grow and enjoy being a librarian. I have a sign on my desk that says “find a job you love and you will never work another day in your life.” In 1992 that happened to me and I have never looked back. There is no other career in the world that tops mine. I promise to work hard as your next president and “show up” with ideas to move our organization forward. I am a hard worker and have the time and desire to serve you.
I have been married to my childhood sweetheart Neal since 1975 and we have two sons. Wesley is a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Kearney and has a master’s in music performance from the University of Minnesota in Saint Paul. Our youngest son Turner is a graduate of Arkansas Tech with a degree in mechanical engineering. In my spare time I like to take car trips with Neal and our PT Cruiser and I enjoy reading detective novels and playing video games.
When I was growing up on a small farm in a very rural area my parents always told me that education and reading were the way to succeed. No matter how tight money was we always had material to read and on our weekly trips to town we would get all the library books we could carry. That attitude has served me well and in 1979 I graduated from Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri (now called SMU, Southwest Missouri University) with a lifetime teaching certificate in elementary education and a minor in History. After teaching several years I transferred to the kindergarten library and I have never looked back. Being a librarian is my true calling in life. In 1995 I earned my Masters of Science (MS) in Educational Media and Library Science from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas In 2003 I successfully completed my national boards and I am proud to be my school district’s first national board certified teacher. In November 2012 I successfully completed my National Board for Professional Standards renewal and I am now an NBCT until 2023. Since I believe the world is run by those that “show up” I have always been the first to volunteer. I currently volunteer as the state webmaster for USBC youth bowling, regional USBC secretary/treasurer and for nearly 20 years I was the Riverlake Lanes volunteer youth director. I have also been involved in FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) robotics and coached both the Lego League teams and the high school robotics team. During my time as the robotics coach we won 3 regional championships and the Chairman’s award among others.
I have been a member of the Arkansas Association of Instructional Media (AAIM), the Arkansas Library Association (ArLA) and the Arkansas Association of School Librarians (ArASL) since 1992. During that time I have served in many capacities and I have held virtually every position in AAIM including president and conference chair. I currently serve as : NAESC district co-op representative, AAIM treasurer, long range planning chair and exhibits chair, Mountain Home High School Leadership team and ACSIP team, Mountain Home Public Schools finance committee secretary, vertical team leader and Common Core (HUB) planning, training and implementation. As a member of ArLA I have served as the Intellectual Freedom Chair, constitution chair and I am proud to say I am currently the ArLA president.
As a member of ALA, AASL and AASL/SPVS I have attended most ALA conferences and mid- winter meetings since joining as a personal member in 2002. I have been the Arkansas Affiliate Representative to the American Library Association ArASL division and I am served two terms as national affiliate assembly secretary and was appointed as a member of the AASL Senior Project/Capstone Project Task Force. In 2013 I was elected to the American Association of School Librarians Board of Directors. In 2005 AAIM honored me with the Librarian of the Year award. I have also been awarded the 2006 Hastings Educator of the Year award, 2007 Library Program of the Year and in 2010 the Leadership award. During the summer of 2007 I was honored to work with the Arkansas Department of Education on my state's first ever Library Media Frameworks for school librarians.
I have been so blessed in my career and I want to give back to the organizations such as ArLA and ArASL that have helped me continue to grow and enjoy being a librarian. I have a sign on my desk that says “find a job you love and you will never work another day in your life.” In 1992 that happened to me and I have never looked back. There is no other career in the world that tops mine. I promise to work hard as your next president and “show up” with ideas to move our organization forward. I am a hard worker and have the time and desire to serve you.
I have been married to my childhood sweetheart Neal since 1975 and we have two sons. Wesley is a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Kearney and has a master’s in music performance from the University of Minnesota in Saint Paul. Our youngest son Turner is a graduate of Arkansas Tech with a degree in mechanical engineering. In my spare time I like to take car trips with Neal and our PT Cruiser and I enjoy reading detective novels and playing video games.