Say Hello to the New Librarian!

Welcome to the Matador Family, Ms. Slim! (Photo credit: Bradley Hoang)

In the last school year, a new librarian, Ms. Swain, was introduced to Bolsa. With her relatable personality, her enthusiasm in her work, and her welcoming of students into the air-conditioned library during lunch, Ms. Swain was a beloved staff member and friend to all Bolsa students. However, when it was found that she would not have her contract renewed the following school year, the students banded together and protested, making a petition and even creating a support group for her on Facebook. Sadly, the students’ efforts were in vain; however, we, as the student body, should focus on the positive and welcome Ms. Marie Slim, the new librarian!

Recently, Ms. Slim sat down with me for a few questions, in regards to how she became a librarian, her transition to Bolsa, and her life at home.

Where did you work prior to Bolsa? Did you have the same occupation as you do now?

“I did [also work as a librarian in my previous workplace] and I had different occupations as well. I worked in the Fullerton Joint Union High School District (FJUHSD). I was a Spanish teacher at Troy High School, but I was also the librarian at Troy High School. I’ve been the librarian at La Habra High School. I’ve been a Spanish teacher at Sonora High School. I’ve been a Spanish teacher at Glendora High School, and I’ve been a librarian everywhere in FJUHSD.” Clearly, Ms. Slim has quite the resume!

How does Bolsa Grande compare so far to your previous workplace?

“I really enjoy it. All of my previous schools have had air conditioning, so I really feel bad for everybody! This district is awesome in technology use across the board,” referring to Bolsa’s extensive use of Google Classroom and other online programs. “I’m really happy to be somewhere where teachers do fun, different, and unusual things. They are just very inventive when they teach, and I like that a lot.”

Have the staff and students been welcoming so far? Do you have anyone in particular that you think has made you feel most at home?

“Ooh, that’s a good question! Well, Mr. Ramich has been very nice, the technology guy that’s been helping me. The ladies in the bookstore, the testing clerk, everybody in this building has been really nice and very helpful. All of the kids have been very nice,” Ms. Slim says, specifically referring to her new Gamer Club, where the members have helped her in setting up computers. Not to forget, Ms. Slim also interjected, “And the fish! The fish have been very nice.”

And now, the hot question everyone is dying to ask.

The previous librarian was well-known for letting students eat in the library during lunch. Are you planning on continuing this tradition?

“Yes, in part, but partly no, because of the computers, because of the carpeting. It’s very bad and it’s getting worse, and they were finding cockroaches and rats and things like that; you really don’t want those, and you don’t want the computers to be fried. You want computers to be accessible to everyone. We’re still going to have eating, and everyone’s been good about it so far during lunch, but we’ve just got to keep the food and drinks away from the technology and the books.” Ms. Slim even confessed that not even she is exempt from this rule; she herself has spilled coffee on a book!

What do you like to do when you have free time?

“I like to play with my kids. I’ve got two boys, they’re nine and eleven. So we like to watch Youtube videos, and we like to play Minecraft and video games and take our dogs for walks. I like to watch Judge Judy, I like to read, and I like to go on the computer, and do all kinds of Pinterest, and Facebook and Instagram, all that kind of stuff! I’m just kind of a nerdy person, I like to be nerdy by myself, and with my dogs, and with my kids.”

If you had to read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?

“When I was five, I’d go and get ‘the kitten book, the kitten book,’ every time I’d check out the same stupid book and read it over again, ‘the kitten book!’ And I couldn’t have kittens because I was allergic to cats, I’ve always been allergic to cats. If you ask me what my favorite book is in the whole world, it would be Caddie Woodlawn about a young, little girl on the wild frontier, kind of like Little House on the Prairie. I’d have to choose that book, because it just reminds me of myself when I was in first, second, third, and fourth grade, reading the same book over and over again.”

Not only is Ms. Slim extremely qualified to work at Bolsa Grande, she is also a warm, down-to-earth person that is extremely easy to talk to. She tells the students not to be afraid to visit and welcomes everybody into the library. Feel free to drop by the library and give Ms. Slim a warm welcome!