My name is Lisa Newton and I’m the Deep Librarian.

I’ve spent the past 8 school years working in private school libraries.

The Deep Librarian blog is my attempt to define and clarify my views on how faith and spirituality informs my work as a school librarian.  I also want to explore ideas about productivity, professional development, and inspiring life-long learning in students.

My goal is to provide readers with a glimpse into how I navigate the tension that can arise when a librarian of faith works in a secular institution.  I am a Christian, but I believe that the insights I discover can be of value to librarians of any belief system.

I usually post about once a week.  If you’d like to subscribe, you can do so via RSS or email.

My Story

Even though I spent a lot of time in libraries when I was younger, I stumbled into librarianship as a career almost by accident.  After graduating from college and spending about a year substitute teaching and teaching Spanish part-time, I realized I did not want to be a classroom teacher.  I liked being with students and working in a school environment, but I didn’t like certain aspects of classroom teaching.  My mother (a former teacher herself) said she always wished she had been the school librarian.  I found out there was a graduate program in library science near me, and I enrolled with the intent of just checking it out and seeing if I liked it.

It turned out that I did like librarianship, and I received my MLIS from San Jose State University.  I spent three years working as the library media specialist at a small, all-girls, private high school and then four more years at one of the largest K-12 Christian schools in the western United States.  In August 2012, I began my current job as librarian of a small private school in Northern California.

I’ve been married for two years and I live with my husband in one of the most beautiful cities on the West Coast.

Why Deep Librarian?

I decided on the name “Deep Librarian” because I want to dive deeper into what it means to be a school librarian of faith who works in a secular institution.

My Contact Information

You can or follow me on Twitter or Facebook.

Blog Info

I use WordPress (self-hosted), and am currently using the Twenty-Eleven Theme.

My site is hosted by Blue Host.

Disclaimer

This is my personal blog and does not represent the views of my current or former employers.   I am not liable for any damages, losses, or injuries resulting from the use of this blog.