Valerie Brown-Kuchera

I’ve always wanted to be an educator. Growing up in a remote country home with parents who were not high school graduates, I relied on impressions of educated people portrayed in the books I read. My favorite stories showed professors and librarians as trusted mentors and wise, caring advisors who seemed so polished. At the time, getting a college education and becoming a person like that myself seemed like an out-of-reach dream. But I never lost the esteem I held for teachers, librarians and professors. That high regard helped propel me into getting an education and seeking a career in this profession.

As a first-generation high school graduate, I was pretty lost in the career planning process, and in my very rural school, we lacked the resources to which our students today have access. I wish I had been able to take a course designed for students without a lot of support at home that could demystify the process of getting a successful education.

Now as the director of a K-12 library and information literacy program, I hope to provide those resources when and where I can. As part of my position, I design all the library and information literacy educational programming. I also maintain two library facilities and a STEAM lab, teach and supervise classes and enrichment lessons, manage library operations, write grants to support reading initiatives, and serve as the district representative for the state and regional library systems.

My favorite aspect of the job is introducing young people to the wonder of great books. If graduates leave our school with a positive association with libraries, books and audiobooks, I feel I have really made a contribution. I hope to continue my mission by fully establishing the program at my school and contributing to the larger field of library and information science through my PhD research.

Nearly all librarians have a graduate degree in library and information science, so aspiring librarians should expect to be in school for a while. It’s a career that draws those who are interested in lots of topics, and because libraries are free, public spaces, librarians regularly interact with diverse people researching all kinds of different subjects. But if you’re the kind of person who gets drawn into research “rabbit holes” after an interesting discussion with friends, librarian and information science might be for you.

Valerie Brown-Kuchera is the director of a K-12 library and information literacy program in Quinter, Kansas. She is a 2023-2024 Dane G. Hansen Foundation HirePaths Teacher Ambassador.