Stepping into the library, one would notice that it has remained almost unchanged since last year, except for one desk labeled with a new name. This year, SIS welcomed Samantha Reinders as the new secondary librarian. Students may notice her moving between the shelves, familiarizing herself with collections, or chatting with teachers to better understand what resources the library can provide.
Originally from Wisconsin, she had worked for 6 years in Bulgaria and 2 years in Kuwait as a librarian at international schools before coming to Korea. With the love and hope of reading as many books on the shelves as she can, she explained her path to becoming a librarian, which unfolded as she discovered new opportunities abroad.
“When I went to university, my original plan was to work in museums,” Ms. Reinders said. “I was going to do public history, probably museum education, archival work, something like that. But when my husband and I moved to Bulgaria, we fell in love with the idea of living abroad, and museum studies was not going to work out. So, it made sense to transition into library science. I already had an idea of what was going on, so I switched over to library science, and I’ve been working in libraries ever since, especially school libraries.”
For Ms. Reinders, the first few weeks at SIS were about learning and adjusting to her new environment. Instead of rushing to make changes, she wants to take her time to gain a full understanding of the SIS community first, ensuring that any future improvements in the library can accurately reflect the school’s needs. Currently, she is focusing on figuring out how students and teachers use the library and what they expect from the library. Once she feels more settled, Ms. Reinders hopes to explore ways to bring library-related traditions or ideas from her previous experiences to SIS.
“One thing I would like to do is institute something, show what people are reading,” Ms. Reinders said. “So have posters around about teachers, like what they’re reading. Just because we as adults stand in front of you and say, ‘You should always be reading, you should always be doing things like that,’ but we don’t follow through. It would be fun to have some posters like that.”
Recalling her experiences as a librarian in international schools, she explained that while all libraries are generally similar with numerous books and areas to comfortably sit in, each library has its own uniqueness. In the US, she recalled some schools emphasized newly updated books and programs and quieter spaces, while school libraries in Kuwait had a moderately different ambience shaped by the resources available and the needs of the community. She also explained that regardless of the country the library is located in, libraries should all share the goal of encouraging curiosity and providing a source of learning in common. In SIS, she hopes to continue to provide a space for SIS students to feel comfortable exploring ideas and discovering new interests.
“I hope students feel comfort,” Ms. Reinders said. “I hope they feel that they can relax or that they have a place where they can study. Overall, it is just a safe place to be to exist; they don’t feel like they have anything they have to do. They just can be.”
As Ms. Reinders begins her work at SIS, her arrival marks the start of a new stage for the library. Beyond organizing shelves or introducing programs, she is setting the foundation for a library that grows with its community. Whether it be her passion to inspire readers or her fresh ideas, students and teachers are ready to start this new chapter of the library with her.
