SLIB grad honored
SLIB Grad Honored as VAASL James Region School Librarian of the Year
Speaking about the joys of her profession, Steward School librarian and Longwood school librarianship endorsement completer Crystal Hamlin put it simply: “Being a school librarian is the greatest job in the world!”
Those were Hamlin’s first words as she accepted the 2024 James Region School Librarian of the Year Award from the Virginia Association of School Librarians (VAASL). Afterwards, she spoke with Longwood professor Mr. Carl Harvey, who was in on the surprise and made the trip to the conference to see the award announcement in person.
“He said to me, ‘I wasn’t supposed to peek, but I had the plaques in my car to bring to the conference, and I saw your name and was so excited!’” Hamlin shared. “It was so lovely to have my professors there to congratulate me!”
The VAASL award recognizes Hamlin’s value as an instructional partner, her innovation as an information specialist, and her continued advocacy for the library’s significance within the school community. As the middle/upper school librarian at the Steward School in Richmond, Va., she has worked tirelessly to bring life to the library, lining up guest speakers and authors, teaming up with local independent bookstores, creating a student wellness space in the building (and a “virtual calming space” online), and spearheading a campus-wide celebration for April’s School Library Month.
This personalized, student-centered approach has roots in Longwood’s school librarianship professional endorsement, which Hamlin first heard about through a colleague when she was a history teacher at Mechanicsville High School.
“She raved about the program and the professors,” Hamlin said. “I thought, What a dream to be a school librarian?!”
After 11 years in the classroom, Hamlin saw school librarianship as a way to continue being involved in education with a different focus. Longwood’s flexible hybrid model helped her balance a full-time teaching position with going back to school.
“The class meetings on Saturdays were something I looked forward to,” she said. “I also loved being able to jump between cohorts to complete my requirements. This allowed me to meet lots of different people working through the program, as well as the flexibility to meet my goals as quickly as I wanted.”
Ultimately, Hamlin sees her professors as integral to the endorsement’s effectiveness. In Longwood’s program, all classes are taught by full-time, tenured or tenure-track faculty, who each bring unique strengths to the program.
“I loved learning from them all,” she said. “Mr. Harvey and his cookies and excitement over children’s literature; Dr. Audrey Church and her absolute fire for the profession; Dr. Karla Collins with her humor and passion for young adult literature; and Dr. Jen Spisak for her attention to detail and commitment!”
After earning her endorsement in 2019, Hamlin accepted a job at the Steward School. Though she was a bit nervous to break into a new career — which came with two big transitions: classroom to library and public to private school — Longwood set her up for success.
“I was fully prepared because of everything that I had learned — from running a budget to collection development, book processing, library layout and design, designing programs, and more,” she said. “I was able to hit the ground running and immediately put into practice the things I had learned. In the first two years, I redesigned the library space, opened up to student volunteers, and implemented a collection development manual.”
Though she completed her endorsement five years ago, Hamlin has stayed closely connected to the Longwood community, working with Harvey on the VAASL conference planning committee and assisting Spisak by supervising a Longwood student teacher at a nearby school.
When asked if she would recommend the school librarianship program, Hamlin said, “One-thousand percent, yes! Longwood’s program was the best decision for me and my career. It is built for working teachers and is cognizant of a teacher’s limited time. There are no unnecessary assignments, and everything I learned I have put to use. I was nervous about breaking into a new career, but the program prepared me for it all!”