TEACHER'S CORNER: ASK DIANE GREGG: IF SHE DOESN'T KNOW THE ANSWER, SHE CAN FIND IT

JACKSON -- Students often say "Ask Mrs. Gregg. She knows everything." That's high praise for Diane Gregg the elementary school librarian for three Jackson schools.

"I would like to think that I know something about many subjects," Gregg said. "More importantly, if I don't know an answer, I know how to find it."

Helping students learn how to search for information is Gregg's job. She teaches at West Lane Elementary and the Millersville and Burfordville attendance centers.

She has no textbook for library instruction. The curriculum comes from student needs, teacher requests and Gregg's desire to correlate library skills with schoolwork.

"Fourth-grade and I enjoy taking a tour of Missouri via desktop maps," she said. "These are individual maps which can be marked on and wipes off. Students receive instruction in Missouri history, geography and map skills."

She spends time with fifth- and sixth-grade students teaching them to do research projects and to use the library independently. Traditional reference books are used along with newer sources like laser disc and CD-ROM technology.

Burfordville and Millersville attendance centers don't have traditional libraries, so Gregg and teachers plan trips to the Riverside Regional Library.

Gregg also helps teachers find resource materials for topics they are teaching. But students are at the center of her job.

"It is gratifying when students ask me to show them how to find Ancient Egypt on the CD-ROM," she said. "It's a pleasant surprise to notice that all of the Betsy Byars books are checked out after we've done an author study about her in class. It's exciting to see a boy who thought poetry was dull, mushy stuff dig through the bookshelves for a Jack Prelutsky collection."

Gregg has been a school librarian for 19 years. She spent 14 years with Charleston schools and is in her fifth year with Jackson.

She earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees in elementary education at Southeast Missouri State University. She also holds a certification in library science.

She and her husband, Steven, have two sons, Seth, 14, and Samuel, 10.