by Lara Neel, Trade Marketing Manager
Dawn M. Rivers is a School Library Media Specialist at Onaway and Mercer Elementary Schools for Shaker Heights City Schools and the owner of Daybreak Yoga.
The Lerner who nominated her said:
“Dawn is focused on creating a well-rounded, informative, and fun collection of material for her students. She’s full of ideas for how school-library publishers could improve their lists. Best of all, she’s passionate about reading, and about getting kids what they like to read.”
We also love that she has combined her passions, in a way that leaves space for both. Here she is with some career goals and highlights!
“I began my career as a children’s library associate in 1995 while I was still working on my library degree at Kent State University. When I was in undergrad, I took a course that required me to read tons of juvenile fiction and nonfiction books. I hadn’t been to the public library in many years so I was surprised that I could find answers to questions for free with the resources at the library. I decided pursue library science as a graduate degree because I felt that People of Color, African Americans in particular, were unaware of the power of the library. This became my mission: help people find the answers to their questions by using the resources found in a library. After finishing my library degree, I became a public librarian and was on the track to being a children’s librarian supervisor but I pivoted and decided I want to be a school librarian. In 1999, I took a job as a school librarian but needed to go back to school to work on my licensure to teach library classes in the state of Ohio. Since then, I have worked as an elementary, middle school and high school librarian. My purpose was always the same in each of these levels: to help students make informed decisions using the resources found in the library.”
“Around the same time I began my career as a school librarian, I fell in love with yoga! I started my yoga practice by borrowing VHS tapes from my local public library. After several years of yoga practice, I decided to take yoga teacher training. In 2013, I became a certified yoga teacher. During this training, I wrote a new goal for myself: open a yoga studio in 5 years. I taught yoga for the YMCA, schools, organizations and had private clients. So I forgot about that goal until the summer of 2018 when I was signing the lease to my own yoga studio, Daybreak Yoga. I became emotional because I realized that I had accomplished another milestone in my professional career. As a yoga teacher and studio owner, my purpose continues to be the same: help people make informed decisions for their wellness. I do this in part through my teaching and trainings but also through the studio’s ‘borrow and return’ library.”
Thanks so much for sharing, Dawn!
Don’t miss this great interview of Dawn on the Shaker Heights Schools website!
p.s. – Is there a librarian YOU love that we should know about? Fill out this form and we’ll follow up!
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