About the Work

As district library coordinator in Leander ISD, I oversee library services for 45 campuses, librarians, and library assistants. This includes strategically planning initiatives, professional learning, programs, and services that align with and enhance the district’s larger strategic plan.

I also assist administrators with hiring certified librarians, support the district through intellectual freedom challenges, guide facilities design, oversee budgets, and collaborate with curriculum leaders to ensure librarians are supporting teaching and learning across the system.

I appreciate that my work has lasting impact on the personnel I connect with. I work to grow library leaders who understand that representation on shelves matters, that access to books matters, and that thoughtfully designed library spaces make a difference in the lives of learners.

Librarianship is critical now more than ever. iSchools like UT Austin help build strong foundations for professionals entering the school library field and prepare them to evolve services to meet changing needs.

How the iSchool Prepared Them

Learning around the distinction between leadership and management, along with change management and communication skills development, has been especially important in Becky’s work. Strategic planning, goal setting, and implementation strategies have also remained central to her day-to-day leadership in public school libraries.

A Memorable iSchool Experience

When Becky attended the UT iSchool, campus computing access was expanding, the web was still young, and digital storytelling tools were just beginning to circulate more widely. One favorite memory is a team project that used digital tools to create a movie for programming, which offered a chance to collaborate, explore a new medium, and think through the elements of storyboarding.

A Lasting Foundation

Becky remembers learning from faculty including Dr. Barbara Immroth, Dr. Phillip Doty, and Dr. Frances Miksa, whose teaching helped prepare her for leadership in libraries and in state and national professional associations. She describes her time at the iSchool as a formative period that built both her confidence and her long-term professional foundation.

Advice for Current Students