Citizen of the Week: Merriell makes books memorable

Spring Hill Elementary media specialist Denise Merriell stretches the lessons in literature until they’re unforgettable.

Merriell didn’t plan to work in a library. Her undergrad degree was in business finances. She jumped into that field after graduation until a sorority sister put a bug in her ear to consider being a school librarian.

“I like reading, I like to help people, I like kids, why not try this?” she thought.

She went back to school and got a master’s in library science, working first at a public library in DeKalb before moving into schools. This is her 26th year as a school media specialist and her 3rd year at Spring Hill.

“I was kind of tricked into becoming a media specialist, but I’m glad I did,” she joked.

No day is typical in the Spring Hill media center, but she can count on starting it by working with students on the morning news broadcast. Together with indispensable paraprofessional Margaret Smith, they see 3 or 4 classes a day, mostly in Pre-K through 2nd grade. For the higher grades, she likes to collaborate on lessons with the teachers or whole grade levels. Once a month she co-teaches with the computer science teacher to help the older kids branch out.

“We’re always open,” she said.

She loves to do what she calls “stretching the lesson” where she will spread a book out over 3 weeks of visits with a class. That can mean smaller lessons like pulling out context clues, book care, and geographical cues.

It’s all about keeping it fresh. Merriell says her students are her biggest influence, and she’s always looking for interesting books and lessons to keep them engaged.

“They keep me current and on my toes,” she said. “I always want to try to be better than what I did the week before.”

It is Merriell’s calling to be an advocate for people who cannot speak for themselves, an advocate for a love of reading, and an advocate to show people they can do whatever they want to do as long as you put your mind to it and you work hard. Books and the worlds they build are a vessel for those life lessons.

“It’s not just about reading, doing an activity, and leaving. We have meaningful conversations,” she said. “Hopefully the conversations that I’m having with people inspire them to become a better version of themselves.”