Massapequa Librarian Named Librarian Of The Year

From Massapequa Schools: Renee Susman, the library media specialist at East Lake Elementary School in the Massapequa School District, was named School Librarian of the Year by Nassau BOCES. She has worked in the district for 25 years and became East Lake’s school librarian in 1996.

Ms. Susman was nominated by her fellow library media specialists in the district. They cited her enthusiasm and passion for her profession and her students, as well as her knowledge, dedication and innovation. Before the elementary level, she worked in college and government libraries. “You can’t fake the genuine passion I have for what I do,” she said. “I’m constantly reinventing myself because it’s all about the kids.” Ms. Susman embraced the addition of Makerspace to the elementary library program in 2016, an initiative that incorporated the 21st Century skills of critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and problem-solving. She created thematic lessons to make meaningful use of new “plugged and unplugged” resources and engage students in the discovery process.

With her self-described “weird, wacky and wild” personality, Ms. Susman excels at capturing her students’ attention. She strives to create a child-centered environment where everyone is treated fairly. Ms. Susman added the libraries are an essential component of any school where students learn necessary research skills along with respect and responsibility.