For most students the library is a place to check out books, finish homework or find a quiet place to study. For Media Specialist Tracy Miceli, it is something much more. It’s a place where students can learn, grow and simply feel safe.
“There is no such typical day here because everyday is completely different from the last,” Miceli said.
After 19 years at Del Val, Miceli still enjoys the unpredictability that comes with her job. Whether she’s helping students conduct research, recommending a new book or providing a welcoming space for those who need it, each day is unique.
“I like to think that every day here [in The Commons] is unique and presents its joys and challenges,” Miceli said.
Although she now spends her days surrounded by books and students, becoming a media specialist was not always part of her plan.
After graduating from college in May 2001, Miceli hoped to pursue a career in publishing. Her goal was to become a book editor, and she had already begun interviewing with publishing companies. However, the events of Sept. 11 changed her perspective on what she wanted for her future.
“My dreams changed a little bit because of Sept. 11,” Miceli said. “We heard about the first plane and then the second plane, and I had a lot of time to reflect on what I really wanted to do with my life.”
At the time, she was working for executives at a company in Somerset, N.J. On the morning of the attacks, the CEO and the chief financial officer had planned to travel to New York but were delayed. The experience made her reconsider a career that would require her to go in to the city every day.
“I think there was something else out there for me that didn’t involve me going into the city, and maybe didn’t involve publishing,” Miceli said. “But I wanted it to involve books somehow.”
That search eventually brought her to Princeton University, where she worked in one of the campus libraries. Her supervisor encouraged her to get a master’s degree in library science.
“It seemed kind of dorky,” Miceli said. “But there’s so many things you can do with a Master of Library Science.”
While working at Princeton, she noticed a problem that shaped the direction of her career: Many students struggled with research skills.
“These are Princeton students — Ivy League students — and they don’t know how to find research,” Miceli said. “We found that they were not prepared at all.”
The discovery sparked an idea.
Since then, Miceli has dedicated herself to helping students become more confident researchers and readers.
“I really wanted to come back to the high school level and make sure that our students had the skills that were needed when they got to college,” Miceli said.
However, her impact extends far beyond academics. In one of her first years at Del Val, she encountered a student that was not outgoing and went to the school library any chance he got. That year, Miceli created the Student Media Award and selected him as the first recipient.
“He thanked me for being seen because school and home life was not great for him,” Miceli said. “I was one of the only people that made school tolerable for him.”
The moment reinforced the importance of educator-student connections.
“Every interaction that a staff member has with a student can be the moment where they feel safe, protected, heard and understood,” Miceli said.
After 19 years, her time in The Commons continues to make her a better educator. Whether she is helping a student find the right book or simply offering a listening ear, Miceli knows that the small gestures can leave a lasting impact.
