Meet the Team: Ms Jamie Elbert, Teacher-Librarian

For many years, Ms. Elbert has been part of the Language and Literature department at GNS, but recently took on the role of the new Teacher-Librarian for the Senior School. 

1. How did you become the teacher-librarian in the senior school?

When I was young, I most aspired to Miss Rumphius’ life, the titular character of Barbara Cooney’s gorgeous picture book. Although I’ve done things in a bit of a different order, I’m in my Miss Rumphius The Librarian phase. I have worked at GNS for 10 years as an English teacher, and the move to the library just made sense—I get to talk to students about stories all the time, and curate a collection of excellent reads. From biographies to historical accounts of battles to fictional romps across romantic moors, I love finding everyone’s next favourite book. Besides my passion for books and extra-curricular reading across all disciplines, now I am able to pop into so many classes in so many subject areas and support teachers and students in cross-curricular skills.  

2. What do you like about this new role?

I love being able to engage with so many different areas of study in our school! So far this year the library has supported research and citation skills in Science 9, 11 and 12; introduced our graphic novels collection to Art 9 and 10 classes; co-hosted the creation of advertisements in Language and Literature 11; and provided a study and reading space for many break-out activities that overflow from classrooms! 

It’s so inspiring to see the breadth of what GNS students are mastering through their coursework. Aside from that, obviously, I also love finding new books for the library. I’m currently most thrilled by the shiny new graphic novels we’ve brought in, from nonfiction biographies of Geoffrey Canada, Muhammad Ali, Charlotte Bronte, and Jackson Pollock to graphic adaptations of classic works like Buck’s The Good Earth and Tolstoy’s War and Peace, to new classics in the graphic genre like Xu’s Shadow Life and Bonde and Berting’s We’ll Soon Be Home Again.

3. Do you miss being able to teach in classrooms?

I do miss being in the classroom and nerding out about novels with students directly, of course. I love reading with a community of brilliant minds and being completely invested in the nuances of a text with a whole group of students at once. Luckily, I get to visit all the Literature and Language & Literature classes now, in addition to Book and Board Club and all the other subject areas. Further, I get to present the library space to inspire reading in all grades all the time! I hope that all my readers come and visit me in the library, where some new decor might inspire a comfy cozy read as we approach the holidays! 

Thank you Ms. Elbert for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer these questions—and for making the library to become an increasingly cozy and welcoming place.