Ruth Shasteen (CAS '13) has been appointed as school librarian program coordinator after providing interim leadership in this role. Her duties focus on advising students interested in pursuing licensure or endorsement as a school library information specialist and supervising teacher-librarian candidates during their student teaching.
She continues her work at the iSchool as an adjunct lecturer, teaching courses (such as School Library Media Center, Cataloging for School Libraries, and Practicum), leading student teaching seminars, and supervising student teachers. In preceding years, she served as district librarian at Neoga CUSD and librarian at Central A&M High School in Moweaqua, both in the state of Illinois, and taught junior high and high school in Sullivan and Bethany, Illinois.
Shasteen earned a CAS in library and information science from the iSchool, MSEd in information services and technology from Eastern Illinois University, and BA in English from Eureka College. In 2018, she received the Polestar Award from the Association of Illinois School Library Educators (AISLE) for her contributions to school librarianship. She has served on numerous AISLE committees and task forces and cochaired the 4th edition of Linking for Learning, the state standards for evaluation of Illinois school libraries.
"This year marks the 20th anniversary of the School Librarian Licensure Program at the iSchool, and I'm excited to be part of the licensure program's continued growth in preparing our students for their changing roles as school librarians," said Shasteen.