REFORMA LA Member Spotlight: Deana Uribe

Name: Deana Uribe
Pronouns: She/Her
Title: Messenger Clerk
Library System: Los Angeles Public Library
MLIS Program: SJSU iSchool

Primary Service Roles: Assisting with contactless library services

How does your work align with service to Latinos and Spanish-speaking communities?: In my work, I’ve experienced that our communities are in need of Spanish-speaking library professionals and overall, Latinos need more representation in the library profession. I know my role in the library can potentially help Latinos feel welcomed and included.

How have you assisted your community during the COVID-19 pandemic?: Over the summer I decided to go back to work at a branch library that is providing contactless library services. This was a voluntary decision. I am happy to help my colleagues and library users in this way. Additionally, through participating in Los Angeles Public Library’s Diversity and Inclusion Apprenticeship (DAIA), I provided a Zoom program focused on nutrition with my fellow mentee, Ulises Chavez.

Some words of advice to other librarians and/or present and future MLIS students: It is important to find a healthy balance between school/work and your personal life. Making sure you take time for yourself and loved ones requires finding and maintaining balance, which will keep you connected and supported in the long run.

Previous programs that I have done: Table Talk, which was my capstone project for DAIA.

Los Angeles Libros Festival

Un festival del libro bilingüe para toda la familia.
A free bilingual book festival for the whole family.

Saturday, September 26, 2020
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Streaming live on Facebook and YouTube.

Los Angeles Libros Festival will offer a full day of entertainment for all ages featuring Spanish-language and bilingual storytelling, performances, workshops, and award-winning authors.

Make sure to:

• Join the online challenge for the opportunity to win digital badges and prizes

• Browse the calendar for a series of pre-festival events

• Check out festival books from the library collection or purchase your own copy from LA librería

• Read the festival blog

• Learn more about this year's authors, artists, and performers.

REFORMA LA Member Spotlight: Zoraida Martinez

Name: Zoraida Martinez

Title: Librarian, Children's Services, Santa Clarita Public Library

How does your work align with service to Latinos and Spanish-speaking communities?: I work in a community where Latino and Spanish speaking are the primary communities being served. Part of my job is to outreach to the communities and create programs that can be beneficial to them. Some events and programs have already been established while I am also creating programs that can bring in more people and let them know that we are here to serve them. 

Gratifying aspects of your work: Working with kids and families and being able to speak Spanish with them. The relief on people's faces when they realize that they can connect with someone who can understand them.

Some words of advice to other librarians and/or present and future MLIS students: Do not ever give up on your goals. If your goals change, make adjustments in your life to follow those goals and do things for you. You cannot make others happy if you are not happy.

Previous programs that I have done:  Ayuda con Tareas, helping parents learn to navigate technology to better help their students. STEAM activities for kids, showing kids to play with robots and use code. Looking forward to our version of Noche de Cuentos this Fall!

Zoraida was also awarded one of the 2020 Noche de Cuentos Mini-Grants on behalf of the Santa Clarita Public Library.

REFORMA LA Member Spotlight: Sheridan Jay Cazarez

Name: Sheridan Jay Cazarez

Title: Early Literacy/Reading Program Specialist, Long Beach Public Library

Primary service role:
I work in the Youth and Family Services Department at the Long Beach Public Library, and in my role I provide systemwide programming for children and families, reference, outreach, and help coordinate Summer Reading and Dive Into Reading, the Long Beach Public Library’s version of 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten. I also assist with maintaining the Main Library’s Spanish collections.

How does your work alight with service to Latinos and Spanish-speaking communities?
The City of Long Beach is 47% Latinx, and 34% of the population speaks Spanish. I’m privileged to work with a supervisor, Cynthia Bautista (you might’ve heard of her) who is also biliterate and bicultural, so we strive to provide programming, outreach materials, reference, and services in both English and Spanish. We also constantly advocate for Spanish speakers when the library is implementing new services or programs. There’s highs and lows, sometimes we fail, sometimes we feel frustrated, sometimes we triumph and do a little dance, but we keep luchando no matter what.

Gratifying aspects of your work:
It’s intensely gratifying to see the everyday impacts of the work we do, those daily interactions with members of my community. From the moment of gratitude when you help someone attach a document to an email, the excitement when someone loved a book you recommended, or the absolute relief you see in someone when you say “Sí, hablo español.” On occasion I get a hug from a storytime kid, or one of their parents tells me that they’re singing storytime songs at home, and it’s nice to feel like I’m playing my little part to enrich the lives of others. I grew up at the library, it provided me with a space to learn and grow. As an adult I’ve found my vocation in public library work and in striving to be for someone else what my childhood librarians were for me. It’s an honor to serve my community, and especially through an organization that gave me so much.

Some words of advice to other librarians and/or present and future MLIS students:
Mainly for people new to libraries: get to know the circulation staff! Learn how to check out, check in, make library cards, process holds, work the cash register, etc. That way when you’re walking by circulation and you see they have a line, you can be equipped to get behind the desk and give them a hand. Clerks and pages always know what’s going on, and do tons of vital work for not a lot of credit so be sure to know them, support them and treat them with respect.

Previous programs that I have done:
Cuentos y Cantos, a bilingual storytime in tandem with Spectrum recipient Luisa Leija, which features original translations of songs, books and fingerplays to make the entire program completely bilingual and culturally relevant to Latinos and Latin Americans.

Vida Latina, the Long Beach Public Library’s celebration of Latino Heritage Month featuring around 30 mostly bilingual programs aligned with Latino and Latin American culture and history. We screened films, had bilingual authors read their work aloud and lead a panel on bilingual education, played Lotería with a do-it-yourself esquite bar, had bilingual storytime, ¡de todo!

Tamalada, a tamale making program for all ages. I gave a short talk on the history of tamales from their indigenous roots to their modern varieties, and then a short demonstration of how to make them. Then the participants were able to put their manos en la masa and try spreading masa on corn husks and banana leaves along with sharing their family’s stories or traditions of tamale making.

Spanish Reading Circle, I created a preschool level curriculum to teach introductory level Spanish vocabulary and verbs to non-Spanish speaking kids through art, stories, songs, and activities. Some of the subjects we covered were colors, letters, days of the week, animals, and verbs like ser, estar, and ir.

We Need Your Help!

If you are looking for ways to be more involved, we are looking for volunteers for our standing committees!

Our standing committee volunteers serve one calendar year with the possibility of re-appointment and work with the Chapter Board to complete different tasks. The descriptions of our current standing committees are as follows:

• Fundraising Committee

  Organizes year-round fundraising to help sustain Chapter awards and partnerships. Coordinates fundraising efforts to contribute to the yearly student scholarships. 

• Public Relations and Marketing Website  

  Works with our webmaster to create and update webpage and social media content. May also assist with composing press releases and official chapter letters as needed.

• Membership Committee

  Organizes ongoing social events for chapter members including the yearly Southern California chapter meetup and conference meetups. Performs outreach to current and recent LIS students, schools, and librarian networks to recruit new members. 

If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out our 2020-2021 Reforma LA Committee Volunteer form and our Board members will contact you with more details. 

If you have any questions, message us at reformala@gmail.com

REFORMA Los Angeles 2020-2021 Board Nominations

Help us bring another exciting and effective year of REFORMA Los Angeles Chapter service by nominating yourself or others to be on the Chapter Board. Current MLIS students are eligible for nomination and all members are encouraged to self nominate. We are looking for nominations for the following positions:

• Vice President/President Elect

• Secretary -Social Media Public Information Officer

• Social Media Public Information Officer

• Treasurer

Nominations will be accepted from now until May 15, 2020. A ballot of candidates shall be presented and approved at the REFORMA LA May membership.

Please be sure that your nominee's REFORMA membership is current.

Follow this link to submit your nominations.

El día de los niños/El día de los libros Mini-Grant Application

REFORMA Los Angeles is pleased to announce a $300 El día de los niños/El día de los libros Mini-Grant!

Due to the circumstances, we have decided to open this year’s mini-grant application to performer(s)/artist(s) that can host a live virtual Día program. It is important to us to continue to provide access to cultural and educational programs for Los Angeles communities during this time.

For these reasons, we invite artist(s) and performer(s) with the ability to livestream and record a performance to apply for this opportunity. The winner will be awarded $300 to carry out a one-hour performance between April 20th and May 30th, 2020. REFORMA LA will further discuss the set up and which platform works best for our audiences.

REFORMA Los Angeles Día de los Libros/Día de los Niños 2020 Mini-Grant details:

• Performer(s) must have access to a high quality camera for the livestream and/or recording of the performance.

• Performer(s) must have the ability to use a high quality video for the performance and are expected to provide all technology for the performance.

• The objective of the performance is to advocate and show the importance of literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

• The program must be held between April 20th and May 15th, 2020

• Mini-grant winner must agree that they will identify REFORMA Los Angeles as the sponsor/organizer of the performance and will work with the Chapter on promotional graphics.

• Performer(s) must agree to use their own social media platforms to promote their performance.

• Winners will have their program featured on our website both in written and photographic detail.

To apply for a mini-grant:

• Complete the online application by April 6th, 2020 11:59 (PST)

• Grant recipient will be notified by April 9th through email. Additionally, their name(s) will be posted on our website and social media.

Per the Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC), El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children's Day/Book Day), known as Día, is a celebration EVERY DAY of children, families, and reading that culminates every year on April 30. The celebration emphasizes the importance of advocating literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

Questions may be sent to reformala@gmail.com

2020 Spanish Language Book Fair

Join us at the Pico Branch of the Santa Monica Public Library to select Spanish Language items for your collection! The fair is open to all educators and community members.

REFORMA/LA's Mentoring Program applications are now open!

The program will run from February 2020 through February 2021 and will pair recent library school graduates with professionals that have five or more years of experience. Applicants will have until Monday, January 20, 2020 to apply. Mentors and mentees will be paired up and notified by Sunday, January 26, 2020.

REFORMA/LA has selected a cohort of 12 mentors that are not only successful library leaders, but also compassionate teachers.

The mentorship program includes:

• Mentors will provide recommendations on how to best handle the challenges and demands of the library field.

• Mentors will help orient new librarians on best practices and operating procedures.

• Meeting once a month for 30 minutes to discuss challenges that may arise at their jobs.

REFORMA/LA members wishing to obtain a mentor for the 2020-2021 year will have to apply and be selected and paired by the REFORMA/LA Executive Committee. Both mentors and mentees must attend a professional development seminar on Sunday, February 09, 2020, at Santa Monica Public Library from 9:30 am-2:30 pm. This program is designed specifically for REFORMA/LA members that graduated in 2019 or are graduating in Spring 2020.

Please click here for the mentee application.

REFORMA LA Member Spotlight: Dr. Michele A. L. Villagran

Name: Dr. Michele A. L. Villagran

Title: Assistant Professor, San José State University, School of Information

Primary service roles: Dr. Villagran is an Assistant Professor with the San José State University (SJSU) iSchool. Her research focuses on diversity and social justice in library and information science and cultural intelligence phenomena within libraries. She currently teaches INFO 200, Information Communities. Dr. Villagran also serves as CEO of CulturalCo, LLC consulting in areas of cultural competency, diversity & inclusion, conflict resolution, and emotional intelligence.

How does your work align with service to Latinos and Spanish-speaking communities?: At SJSU, Dr. Villagran is the iSchool’s REFORMA liaison. In this role, she shares and communicates programs, events, scholarships, and other activities of REFORMA and its chapters with our school to share with students and alumni. This fall, she will be developing an SJSU iSchool REFORMA student group for current SJSU students and alumni that are REFORMA members to help continue to foster and assist Spanish-speaking communities. As an educator, many of her students and alumni are interested in serving the diverse needs of these communities. Assignments have been focused on examining these information communities’ information seeking-behaviors within INFO 200. Additionally, her research aligns with service to Latinx because of the breadth of cultural diversity that she focuses on.

Gratifying aspects of your work: One of the most gratifying aspects is teaching and getting to know her students, even in an online environment as the Masters program is 100% online. Being able to help and support those from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds, and to see them progress through their educational journey and beyond is very rewarding. She has often had students contact her after a course or after graduation to thank her for inspiration and support, and stays connected with many alumni to follow their careers. Another gratifying aspect of her work is giving back in a service capacity to the organizations that have helped her get to where she is today.

Some words of advice to other librarians and/or present and future MLIS students: Advice to other librarians: Continue to foster a community of support and engagement for our present and future students. Offer opportunities for professional development. Stay engaged with your associations and an active contributor to the profession.

Advice to present and future MLIS students: Start connecting early with informal and formal mentors that can offer guidance throughout your program. Take a variety of courses that will prepare you for the job you want in the future, not the current job you have today. Challenge yourself to be the best you can be in your program and soak up as much knowledge as you can.

Previous programs that I have done: For a full list of Dr. Villagran’s activities, keynotes, speaking engagements, publishing, consulting and other activities, please see her CV. Her focus has primarily been around areas of diversity & inclusion, emotional intelligence, legal issues, leadership, cultural intelligence, and conflict management.