Serving as the School Library Media Specialist for the Atlanta Area Schools since August 2009, Ms. Sonia Gavins has strongly demonstrated that dedication to one’s work can readily spell success in their chosen field. Experienced in media, curriculum design and planning, Ms. Gavins counts herself fortunate to have been able to collaborate with teachers and students on a regular basis. Interaction has always been a great joy for her, no matter what people say about individuals who are in her line of work. Stuffy she definitely is not, as proven by those she has assisted with information literacy competency in a wide range of media. Taking to heart the vital role she plays in society and the institution she has served for nearly five years, Ms. Gavins undertook to create a summer reading program for students. This is to ensure that the students become more effective users of information and more empowered critical thinkers.
With her thorough knowledge of children’s and teen literature, Ms. Gavins has been able to connect with students in a more profound way through books and other forms of literature. She genuinely enjoys guiding students and pointing them in the right direction when they approach her for help about library resources. Sonia is always willing to assist them in finding answers not only to assignments given them at school but also to those questions whose answers go beyond the four walls of the classroom and even the library itself. Ms. Gavins has always loved books, which is why she always aims to use her advanced skills in writing and research to ensure that she has whatever information is needed by those who seek the solid assurance of empowering knowledge in the library. She has also designed library service brochures and school newsletters to assist everyone at optimizing the vast reservoir of knowledge available to them.