By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

HELENA—Helena Intermediate School media specialist Tami Genry was presented with the Herman Moore LAMP Award of Exceptional Service from the Alabama Library Expo during a ceremony at the Bessemer Civic Center on Oct. 1.

The award is presented to librarians and media specialists who have “rendered outstanding and exceptional service to their patrons, schools and communities over an extended period of time,” according to Alabama Library Expo.

“It’s a big honor to receive this award and I feel like I receive it for all the media specialists I work with,” Genry said. “The award could have gone to so many of my coworkers. I’m humbled to have my name associated with such an award.”

Before becoming a media specialist, Genry was a classroom teacher. Although Genry said she enjoyed working with intermediate school aged students, she “really wanted to specialize” and felt that the library was a “good fit for my strengths.”

Genry has served as a media specialist for 12 years and has worked at HIS for the past 10 years. She said the most enjoyable part of her job is the daily interaction with the students and “seeing kids light up about books and reading.”

As media specialist, Genry guides “reluctant readers” to books that interest them, helping them realize “it wasn’t reading they don’t like, they just weren’t choosing the right books,” Genry explained.

“My favorite part of my job is connecting kids with the right books that… really help them turn into eager readers,” Genry said. “I can help match them up with books that really meet their needs.”