Librarian/Director of Information ScienceDominican University of California, MASan Jose State University, MLISUniversity of New Hampshire, BAemail: michele.martin [at] sonomaacademy.org
phone: (707) 545-1770 x5201
“I love walking into the library first thing in the morning, before classes have started,” says Michele “There are always tons of students hanging out, and the energy is contagious. It's a fun way to start the day and check in with everyone about how they're doing and what they've got going on that day.” Michele helps to make the library a welcoming, useful, and diverse space, a place where students and staffulty can find practical information, camaraderie, and sparks to ignite their curiosity. She has also taught some Humanities elective courses, including a class on science fiction and one on ghost stories.
Michele’s career path wound through some unexpected places on the way to the library. “It took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up,” she says. “I have been a grant writer, a public defender investigator, and a program coordinator working with homeless and mentally ill adults. The path seemed random at the time, but all the skills and experiences I picked up along the way have combined to make me a better librarian.”
Not surprisingly, Michele loves to read in her spare time, and she selects her reading list from a wide variety of genres. Each summer, she compiles a spreadsheet of book recommendations for staffulty to share with one another. She also loves to travel—chaperoning Intersession trips abroad is one of her favorite aspects of her job.
The Sonoma Academy experience is very different from the one Michele had as a student. “I went to a large public high school where it was easy to blend into the woodwork,” she says. “Sonoma Academy is very different in that we really get to know each other.” Michele appreciates that our school provides an environment where students work in partnership with adults to be successful students, and community members treat one another with much mutual caring and respect.