Shell Knob librarian retires and leaves behind legacy as an innovator
Cupps
August 28, 2019
Vinnie Roberts
No matter how much things can feel like they stay the same in a small town, eventually change comes knocking. For the last 42 years, students of Shell Knob could count on the consistency of one figure within the school, librarian Sandy Cupps. That all changed this year when Cupps announced her official retirement from her duties.
Cupps explained that this move was made to spend more time with her ever growing family.
“I turned 68 years old last week,” said Cupps. “I have my first grandchild, he’s seven months old. Plus, my mother just turned 91 and I need to spend more time with her.”
Cupps had previously retired last year, but came back to the school part time to assist in the library where she was needed. This retirement, according to Cupps, is the real thing, with her officially stepping away from all duties at Shell Knob School.
She, like many in Shell Knob, started her time in the lake community as a tourist. She originally hailed from the suburbs of Chicago, Ill., where she lived with her parents for a number of years. There, she attended college, receiving her bachelor’s degree in Library Sciences from Illinois State University.
While originally only having a minor in library sciences, Cupps opted to change majors after speaking with her mother, who at the time worked for the library coordinator of an Illinois school district.
In Illinois, Cupps served the Oak Lawn Public Library for a year before moving to the Champaign Public Library, where she worked for three and a half years. Cupps explained that while she loved being a librarian, her lack of a master’s degree precluded her from further advancement or opportunity in the public library system.
Cupps and her family started vacationing in Shell Knob on Table Rock Lake in 1971. While there, she regularly stayed at the Rod N’ Reel Resort and became friendly with the owners of the Shell Knob Cafe.
Loving the area so much, Cupps’ parents opted to build a vacation home in Shell Knob. It was here Cupps came in 1977 to vacation over the summer. After relating her dissatisfaction with her position in Illinois, friends in the area told her the local school was looking for a librarian.
Before her vacation was over, Cupps was hired by Shell Knob Public School as their librarian. Her parents agreed to let her live in their vacation home so long as she cleaned and maintained it. She then returned home to Illinois with two weeks to pack her things and move her life to Missouri.
That fall, Cupps began what would be a long and storied career as one of the longest serving employees of the district.
While not educating students on the importance of reading and proper research, Cupps found time to settle down and start a family. She married Shell Knob native Johnny Cupps, with whom she had twin sons, Matt and Scott, and one daughter, Julie. Seven months ago, she welcomed her first grandchild to the family.
During her time within the district, Cupps said that her favorite thing was the challenge of working with multiple age groups, as the library served grades kindergarten through eighth.
“I liked that I got to see all the kids,” said Cupps. “I wasn’t just with one group all day Long. There was a variety. I got to read to little kids and teach research skills to the older ones. I got to see everyone there mature over time.”
The school librarian has a lengthy list of accomplishments within the district. Cupps organized several career awareness days throughout the years, drawing in not only Shell Knob businesses, but businesses from the surrounding areas to come in and discuss the realities of their professions with students.
From her time in college, Cupps knew that many innovations were coming for her profession, but was not prepared for the meteoric impact that it would have on her career.
“When I was in school for library science, they used to make us read these little vignettes and one of them said ‘someday, from your home you’ll be able to use your computer to get into your public library and see their collection’ and we all didn’t think that would be right,” said Cupps.
Over the span of her career, Cupps was a constant advocate of technology within the school. She was present for the installation and taught the operation of the school’s first computers, Texas Instruments model TI-99s, to students.
“I enjoyed going to the different technology meetings and stuff,” she explained. “I became the librarian slash technology person, which nowadays, all librarians are the technology person.”
Cupps explained that her interest in technology drove her forward and helped create many new resources for learning within the district.
“I got the first satellite dishes for the school,” said Cupps. “I went to all of the technology meetings back then and found out that we could get a grant for satellite dishes and TVs in every room.”
Later in her career, she chaired the committee that wrote and received a grant to give the school its first fully functional computer lab, after which Cupps familiarized herself enough with the machines to teach computer classes to students.
Cupps also stated that she introduced the computer card book catalogue and check-out system to the school, as well as being an early advocate for allowing students to use online research for their projects.
Cupps also pushed the school to purchase their first mobile television and VCR setup, a move that saw some pushback from school officials at the time.
“I told the principal at the time that we needed a TV, VCR and a video camera and he told me that we didn’t need that in the school,” explained Cupps. “So, I talked him into it, and we got. Then, when someone from the state came to give a presentation and needed a VCR to show a tape, then the principal got excited about the VCR.”
In her eyes, one of her biggest career accomplishments came later in her career when she wrote and received a $50,000 literacy grant to improve the school’s library. The check for this grant was given to Cupps in person by Missouri Senator Roy Blunt at a school assembly.
Additionally, she explained that she hosted an incalculable amount of book fairs and kept score for a cornucopia of volleyball and basketball games.
Cupps explained that while her drive and determination definitely made an impact on her position, none of it would have been possible without the constant support of both the school and the community.
“The school, the administration, everybody has always been supportive of the library program and I appreciate that. In going to different meetings I would hear librarians talk about how they didn’t get funding or didn’t think the schools supported them and this and that. So, it was really nice that I always had full support of things I wanted to do in the library, and I wanted to thank everyone for that. I wouldn’t have stayed for 42 years if I didn’t love what I did.”
Cupps isn’t finished with her work at Shell Knob yet, as she plans to return in the future as a substitute for the district. She also works from time to time at the Thrifty Closet, a thrift store in Shell Knob.
Cupps is also debating the idea of joining the Mentor Program at Shell Knob, where she would come in once a week and help a struggling Shell Knob student to better manage stress and apply themselves in school.
Between all of this, Cupps stated that her ultimate goal in her retirement is to spend more time with her mother and constantly expanding family.
While many can claim to have an impact on their career field, few people can boast the kind of determination, openness to new technology, drive toward improvement, knowledge and timing of Sandy Cupps.
Vinnie Roberts
No matter how much things can feel like they stay the same in a small town, eventually change comes knocking. For the last 42 years, students of Shell Knob could count on the consistency of one figure within the school, librarian Sandy Cupps. That all changed this year when Cupps announced her official retirement from her duties.
Cupps explained that this move was made to spend more time with her ever growing family.
“I turned 68 years old last week,” said Cupps. “I have my first grandchild, he’s seven months old. Plus, my mother just turned 91 and I need to spend more time with her.”
Cupps had previously retired last year, but came back to the school part time to assist in the library where she was needed. This retirement, according to Cupps, is the real thing, with her officially stepping away from all duties at Shell Knob School.
She, like many in Shell Knob, started her time in the lake community as a tourist. She originally hailed from the suburbs of Chicago, Ill., where she lived with her parents for a number of years. There, she attended college, receiving her bachelor’s degree in Library Sciences from Illinois State University.
While originally only having a minor in library sciences, Cupps opted to change majors after speaking with her mother, who at the time worked for the library coordinator of an Illinois school district.
In Illinois, Cupps served the Oak Lawn Public Library for a year before moving to the Champaign Public Library, where she worked for three and a half years. Cupps explained that while she loved being a librarian, her lack of a master’s degree precluded her from further advancement or opportunity in the public library system.
Cupps and her family started vacationing in Shell Knob on Table Rock Lake in 1971. While there, she regularly stayed at the Rod N’ Reel Resort and became friendly with the owners of the Shell Knob Cafe.
Loving the area so much, Cupps’ parents opted to build a vacation home in Shell Knob. It was here Cupps came in 1977 to vacation over the summer. After relating her dissatisfaction with her position in Illinois, friends in the area told her the local school was looking for a librarian.
Before her vacation was over, Cupps was hired by Shell Knob Public School as their librarian. Her parents agreed to let her live in their vacation home so long as she cleaned and maintained it. She then returned home to Illinois with two weeks to pack her things and move her life to Missouri.
That fall, Cupps began what would be a long and storied career as one of the longest serving employees of the district.
While not educating students on the importance of reading and proper research, Cupps found time to settle down and start a family. She married Shell Knob native Johnny Cupps, with whom she had twin sons, Matt and Scott, and one daughter, Julie. Seven months ago, she welcomed her first grandchild to the family.
During her time within the district, Cupps said that her favorite thing was the challenge of working with multiple age groups, as the library served grades kindergarten through eighth.
“I liked that I got to see all the kids,” said Cupps. “I wasn’t just with one group all day Long. There was a variety. I got to read to little kids and teach research skills to the older ones. I got to see everyone there mature over time.”
The school librarian has a lengthy list of accomplishments within the district. Cupps organized several career awareness days throughout the years, drawing in not only Shell Knob businesses, but businesses from the surrounding areas to come in and discuss the realities of their professions with students.
From her time in college, Cupps knew that many innovations were coming for her profession, but was not prepared for the meteoric impact that it would have on her career.
“When I was in school for library science, they used to make us read these little vignettes and one of them said ‘someday, from your home you’ll be able to use your computer to get into your public library and see their collection’ and we all didn’t think that would be right,” said Cupps.
Over the span of her career, Cupps was a constant advocate of technology within the school. She was present for the installation and taught the operation of the school’s first computers, Texas Instruments model TI-99s, to students.
“I enjoyed going to the different technology meetings and stuff,” she explained. “I became the librarian slash technology person, which nowadays, all librarians are the technology person.”
Cupps explained that her interest in technology drove her forward and helped create many new resources for learning within the district.
“I got the first satellite dishes for the school,” said Cupps. “I went to all of the technology meetings back then and found out that we could get a grant for satellite dishes and TVs in every room.”
Later in her career, she chaired the committee that wrote and received a grant to give the school its first fully functional computer lab, after which Cupps familiarized herself enough with the machines to teach computer classes to students.
Cupps also stated that she introduced the computer card book catalogue and check-out system to the school, as well as being an early advocate for allowing students to use online research for their projects.
Cupps also pushed the school to purchase their first mobile television and VCR setup, a move that saw some pushback from school officials at the time.
“I told the principal at the time that we needed a TV, VCR and a video camera and he told me that we didn’t need that in the school,” explained Cupps. “So, I talked him into it, and we got. Then, when someone from the state came to give a presentation and needed a VCR to show a tape, then the principal got excited about the VCR.”
In her eyes, one of her biggest career accomplishments came later in her career when she wrote and received a $50,000 literacy grant to improve the school’s library. The check for this grant was given to Cupps in person by Missouri Senator Roy Blunt at a school assembly.
Additionally, she explained that she hosted an incalculable amount of book fairs and kept score for a cornucopia of volleyball and basketball games.
Cupps explained that while her drive and determination definitely made an impact on her position, none of it would have been possible without the constant support of both the school and the community.
“The school, the administration, everybody has always been supportive of the library program and I appreciate that. In going to different meetings I would hear librarians talk about how they didn’t get funding or didn’t think the schools supported them and this and that. So, it was really nice that I always had full support of things I wanted to do in the library, and I wanted to thank everyone for that. I wouldn’t have stayed for 42 years if I didn’t love what I did.”
Cupps isn’t finished with her work at Shell Knob yet, as she plans to return in the future as a substitute for the district. She also works from time to time at the Thrifty Closet, a thrift store in Shell Knob.
Cupps is also debating the idea of joining the Mentor Program at Shell Knob, where she would come in once a week and help a struggling Shell Knob student to better manage stress and apply themselves in school.
Between all of this, Cupps stated that her ultimate goal in her retirement is to spend more time with her mother and constantly expanding family.
While many can claim to have an impact on their career field, few people can boast the kind of determination, openness to new technology, drive toward improvement, knowledge and timing of Sandy Cupps.