Meet Odyssey’s New Library Media Specialist, Mrs. Campbell, M.S., CCC-SLP
After eight remarkable years of serving as a tutor and speech-language pathologist for Odyssey’s lower and middle school students, Mrs. Kate Campbell, M.S., CCC-SLP, is embarking on a new journey as our library media specialist.
Mrs. Campbell will be stepping into a role previously held by Mrs. Hampton, who retired at the end of the 2023-24 school year after two decades of extraordinary service. Mrs. Campbell is eager to uphold the cherished traditions established by Mrs. Hampton while infusing new energy into Odyssey’s library as a vibrant space of collaboration for students and faculty alike.
Join us in celebrating Mrs. Campbell's next chapter!
Read on to get to know Mrs. Campbell and her vision for Odyssey’s library:
What inspired you to pursue this new role?
Watching students over the years find a book that finally resonated with them and showed them the magic of reading is such an amazing thing to witness! So, after eight years of focusing on the ‘how’ of reading, I wanted to lean more into the ‘why’ of reading and continue helping kids discover what words can do for them.
How does your experience at Odyssey and your background as a speech-language pathologist prepare you for this role?
Both parts of my background have taught me that there’s always more than meets the eye. A storybook is never as simple as we may first think — we learn to make inferences from the pictures, we learn new words in context, we learn more about ourselves and others, we expand our worldview and potential.
"I think sometimes kids have a stale picture in their minds of what a library is — intimidating books and daunting silence. But libraries are vibrant places of creativity, community, and collaboration."
Why is the role of a school librarian so important, especially here at Odyssey?
I think sometimes kids have a stale picture in their minds of what a library is — intimidating books and daunting silence. But libraries are vibrant places of creativity, community, and collaboration. Mrs. Hampton spent the last 20 years showing our kids that regardless of their past experiences, they’re welcome in the library as they are. The way Odyssey’s alum reflect on their time in the space shows how important it is to offer that to our students!
What Odyssey library traditions are you looking to continue or expand?
Nothing screams “Odyssey” more than Fall into Reading and Banana Babies, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
What can Odyssey students and faculty expect to discover in the library this school year?
Libraries are changing and adapting for the times, and Odyssey’s library is no different. Finding ways to make searching for a next read more kid-friendly, making the space as inviting as possible, increasing the variety of materials being offered, bringing back book clubs, involving older students more, there are lots of plans in the works!
What or who inspired your love of reading?
I’ve been an avid reader for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I took every possible opportunity to go to the library and check out as many books as I was allowed to. It was always a safe and welcoming space.
What's the best thing you've read so far this year?
I really enjoyed reading the Heartstopper graphic novel series this year! I'm eagerly awaiting the final book to be released later this year.