Emily Arrowood

Melanie Claybar, librarian

Position: Librarian  

Years at LCM: 15 

Years teaching: 15 (13 as an English teacher) 

Q: How would other people describe your high school self? 

A: High-strung, organized 

Q: Was there a career you wanted to pursue or pursued before teaching? 

A: I worked in hospital technology for about sixteen years before I transitioned to teaching. As a kid, I wanted to be a veterinarian! 

Q: Tell us about how you got into teaching. 

A: After I had my first baby, I wanted something closer to home (I worked in Lake Charles at the time), and I was able to get my teaching certification through an alternative program at LSCO (Lamar State College Orange). 

Q: What do you do outside of school for fun? 

A: My kids keep me busy with their activities, but I like to read whenever I can. 

Q: When people get to know you, what are they most surprised to learn about you? 

A: I was a pharmacy technician during college and then I worked in hospital IT for about 16 years before teaching. 

Q: What is something you know a weird amount about that’s not related to work? 

A: I just know a little bit about a lot of things. 🙂 

Q: Tell us the story about what you are most proud of yourself for. 

A: I was in the middle of my master’s degree when Harvey hit, and our house flooded so finishing my coursework was hard when we were juggling so many other things.  But I know there were so many who weren’t as fortunate as I was so I’m grateful for my family who helped me so I could get it done! 

Q: Who is someone you are thankful for and why? 

A: I’m thankful for all the women in my life: my grandmothers who instilled a love for learning and were also integral in my faith formation as a child; my mom and my mother-in-law who almost never say no and are always there for me and my family; my girls, my blessings, my best friends Annabelle and Caroline who make life interesting and keep me busy!  

Q: What advice would you give your younger self? 

A: With a few exceptions, most things that are happening now won’t matter in five years.  

People don’t think or talk about you as much as you think. 🙂 

Q: What do you hope to be remembered for? 

A: I hope students remember me or even just the library itself as a warm and welcoming place to be. 

Q: What’s on your bucket list? What aspirations do you have for the future? 

A: I’d like to travel and be healthy!  

Favorites: 

 Food: dill pickle almonds 

 Restaurant: Old Orange Cafe! 

 Music: 80s, Willie Nelson 

 TV Show: “The Office,” “Sons of Anarchy,” “Vampire Diaries,” “Friends”

 Movie: “Sixteen Candles,” “The Princess Bride”