Send Email to Dede at: ducharme@texed.net
Visit Dede's Website at:
http://www.tamu.edu/upress/books/1998/ducharme.htm
Authors Among Us - Children's Writers Who Are or Who Have Been Librarians
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Dede Fox
Ducharme Send Email to Dede at: ducharme@texed.net Visit Dede's Website at: http://www.tamu.edu/upress/books/1998/ducharme.htm |
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Authors Among Us - Children's Writers Who Are or Who Have Been Librarians |
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Featured Title by Dede Fox
Ducharme
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The Treasure in the Tiny Blue Tin ISBN 0-87565-180-1 Purchase this book from Amazon.com |
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| What influenced you to become a
librarian
or to work in a library?
My love of children and books strongly influenced my decision to be a librarian. I have enjoyed my success in building bridges between young readers and good books. Apparently my enthusiasm for books is contagious. The books I review daily on our closed circuit TV station never gather dust on the library shelves. Do you have a library/information science degree? I have an English degree from Washington University in St. Louis with a secondary major in elementary education. I also earned a master's degree in educational supervision from Stephen F. Austin State University. After teaching language arts for twenty-two years, I took a state exam for an endorsement that allows me to work as a school librarian. Hiring professionals that do not have a specific library degree is a controversial practice in Texas where we have a shortage of trained librarians. I agree that degree is important, but my lack of credentials has not kept me from being extremely successful or from holding leadership positions. Many of my co-workers who earned library science degrees year ago share my need for additional training. We all attend seminars, conventions, and staff development to keep up with the changing world of information systems. What kinds of library positions have you held and where? This is my fifth year as an intermediate school (grades 5 and 6) librarian. I worked for two years at Creighton Intermediate, a rural school with many challenged readers. This is my third year at Collins Intermediate, a suburban school that my daughter once attended and where I taught fifth graders for three years. How long have you been a librarian? This is my fifth year. Are you currently working as a librarian? Yes. Do you plan to continue in the profession? I plan to retire from public education in two years at which time I look forward to exploring new endeavors. My greatest hope is that more of my manuscripts will sell and that I can focus exclusively on writing. Which came first in your life, your work or career as a librarian, or writing for children? I have always loved my career in public education, but I have always dreamed of being a full-time writer. For a long time, teaching was my calling, but also my vocation, a way to contribute to the financial support of my family without sacrificing too much time away from my children. Writing was my vacation because I loved the process so much. In recent years, I have been focusing more of my time and energy on writing as I have begin to make a career transition. Did your library work have anything to do with becoming a children's writer? I was an avid reader and writer before I became a librarian. My historical fiction was written and the contract signed before I became a librarian. During my first semester as a librarian, at night and on weekends, I wrote parts of a Teacher's Edition for Rand McNally. Nevertheless, my library work and writing definitely complement each other. My library work has helped me to become a better, more professional writer. Did your library work directly influence your work as an author? My library patrons keep me in touch with what's cool and what's not. We have a library book wish list which helps me to understand the kinds of books fifth and sixth graders want to read. When I am writing, however, my characters tend to direct the plots of my stories. The characters I create are like my daughters. I help bring them to life and then they start to Did you ever set any scenes in your books in the library? Incidents from my classrooms and personal interactions at school have influenced my writing, but none of the action in my stories has taken place in a library. What are the greatest benefits of being a librarian to you as a writer? Working with so many students, parents, and teachers enriches my life in many ways. Being able to observe what motivates people certainly helps. Access to books, authors, and other librarians constantly stimulates me creatively. Attending training, conventions, etc., helps me to improve my craft. Are there any drawbacks to being a librarian and also a writer? Absolutely. I remember Caroline Cooney encouraging me to continue writing but also saying, "You're a full-time libraian? It might be hard to combine that with a writing career." She was right. I don't want to be a mediocre librarian so I use up a lot of energy at school. When I come home, I am physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. I can muster the energy for revisions during the school year, but really need those vacations for creating first drafts of novel manuscripts. I need blocks of time to really immerse myself in my story. How do you manage the time-juggling act? I use the school year for generating ideas, revising, and submitting. I usually write first drafts of novel manuscripts during school vacations. Did you find any conflicts or job-related difficulties in being both a writer and a librarian? For instance, how do your library/school administration and colleagues view your authorship? Are the library patrons/students aware of your writing? My authorship is definitely appreciated by our school's teachers, parents, and students. On a district level, however, our central school district administrators are so unappreciative and give employees a hard time about moonlighting. I use personal leave days for appearances at other schools, even though school board members have even come to my Barnes and Noble book signings and certainly support all the positive PR I have generated for the district. Do you feel that librarianship has specific benefits to you as a writer? If so, what are they? I have developed an extensive network with other authors and librarians, as well as business, educational, and civic leaders. We help each other promote literacy and have formed supportive friendships. These connections enrich my life in every way. Special Quote: |
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Last Updated October 22, 2003