Simmons College

Mary Mills "Chris" Swerling has over 30 years of experience in the school library field. She is currently the Coordinator of School Libraries for the Newton Public Schools. In her supervisory role, she has placed an emphasis on providing professional development to foster the school library staff's growth in current school library issues and teaching strategies. Chris also teaches several grades at the Mason-Rice Elementary School. In this way she is daily reminded of why school libraries are so important, and remains connected to the needs of teachers and students.

A 1976 graduate of Simmons School of Library and Information Science, Chris began her career in Sao Paolo, Brazil at a K-12 International School. To this day, she declares it was the best job she ever had—gaining experience working with students of all ages. Upon returing to the United States after a two year stint abroad, Chris worked first as a  high school  librarian for the Archdiocese of Boston, and then as an elementary school librarian for the Belmont Public Schools. Over a twenty year span Chris held a leadership role in the redesign of several school libraries as well as in developing curriculum with a focus on information literacy.

A National Board Certified Library Media Teacher, Chris has proudly represented the school library profession in both the library and the education world. When Massachusetts regional libraries opened membership to school libraries, Chris recognized the tremendous opportunity this represented and contributed to the development of the strategic planning document required for membership. For five years Chris served on the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners Grant Committee reviewing LSTA grant applications that funded innovative programs and initiatives to further information literacy, early reading, and special projects involving technology. As an instructor in the library media program at Bridgewater State College, Chris was, and continues to be, a passionate advocate for collections that are immediately relevant to the classroom.

Currently, Mrs. Swerling is the chair-elect for the Supervisor's division of AASL. She recently presented at the AASL National Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is a member of ALA, AASL, MSLA, and ASCD. She has also taught a graduate course in Multicultural Children's Literature for Wheelock College and reviewed adult books for young adults for School Library Journal. In returning to Simmons to teach LS 431, Chris feels she has come full circle—using what she has learned from her varied experiences in the profession she loves, to instruct those new to the evolving and exciting field of school librarianship.

Chris Swerling's CV