The iSchool is happy to introduce the five IMLS Youth, Community, Libraries Doctoral Fellows:

Dee Dee Davenport has worked in the field of education for 19 years. She has been a classroom teacher, a school district supervisor, a service center specialist, and a school librarian. She and her husband, Matt, enjoy a variety of outdoor activities and traveling. Dee Dee's degree include a BA in Elementary Education and an MA in Curriculum & Instruction from University of Texas at San Antonio and is a candidate for the MLIS degree from UT this fall 2005.

Don Hamerly has worked for the past twenty years in public high schools, first as a classroom teacher then as a teacher-librarian. While he has never worked in a chicken factory, he does love fried eggs on Sunday mornings, movies, and waterholes on hot summer days in Austin. Don's degrees include a BA in English from Lamar University and an MLIS from the University of Texas at Austin earned in 1998.

After 12 years of teaching eager fourth graders, Bettie McGinness earned her MLIS from UT in 2000. She has worked as an elementary school librarian for the past 5 years. Her favorite professional moment happened when two Pre-Kindergarten classes interrupted an administrative meeting to sing a Valentine's Day song to her. Her colleagues were quite impressed, especially when invited to share the accompanying chocolate. Bettie is excited about her opportunity to earn her PhD at the University of Texas and hopes to be a valuable asset to the academic community. Bettie's degrees are a BS in Education from Texas A& M and an MLIS from the University of Texas in 2000.

Before getting her MLIS from UT in 1998, Ann Minner worked in an opera house, an architectural firm and a chicken factory. For the past 7 years, she has been a children's librarian in Austin, TX and Fort Myers, FL. She is happy to be back in Austin and is looking forward to the fall weather. Ann's degrees are a BA in Technical Theatre from Southern Illinois University and the MLIS from the University of Texas earned in 1998.

Jennifer Moore taught English, reading, and yearbook for three years before pursuing her master's degree at the University of Texas at Austin. When she is not reading about the philosophy of science, she enjoys cooking, exercising, gardening, sewing, listening to music, and spending quality time with her loved ones. Jennifer's degrees are both from The University of Texas at Austin earning a BA in English with minors in Spanish and Education and the MSInfoStds with Standard School Librarian Certificate in 2005.