As President of REFORMA, I will be speaking at various programs. I also look forward to work with two ALA committees, IFC and IFRT. Below are the highlights of my schedule including fabulous programs! If you want to meet during the conference, email, Tweet or text!

For a complete list of REFORMA events including locations, visit REFORMA Wiki.

Thursday, June 24

Affiliates meeting

Spectrum Leadership Institute Professionals Options Fair

Friday, June 25

Intellectual Freedom Committee I

Incoming ALA Committee Chairs Lunch & Orientation

Intellectual Freedom Round Table Meeting I

REFORMA Executive Committee Meeting I

Saturday, June 26

Immigration Issues and Library Services – presented by REFORMA with SALALM

ALA Council Orientation- NEW Councilor!

REFORMA Building Community – REFORMA President’s Program @ WCC 203 A/B, Sat. June 26, 10:30-12:00

Burning Man, Libraries, and the 21st Century: the Intersection of the Individual and Society

Advocacy and Social Media: Library Services for All in the Community – presented by REFORMA with PLA

REFORMA Fundraiser!

Sunday, June 27

REFORMA Board of Officers Meeting

Successful Stories: Library Services in Latin America – presented by REFORMA with IFLA/LAC

Affiliates Luncheon

Pura Belpre Celebration

The New Professional Paradigm: Redefining the New Librarian

Newberry Caldecott Banquet

Monday, June 28

REFORMA Membership Meeting

REFORMA Executive Committee Meeting II

Intellectual Freedom Round Table Meeting II

Membership Meetings Committee Meeting

Blasphemy: When Religious Values Clash with Intellectual Freedom Values- presented by the IFC

Intellectual Freedom Committee III

International Relations Reception

ALA Council Forum

Tuesday, June 29

Council III

ALA Awards Rehearsal

Library Advocacy Day- FAQ here

ALA Award Reception/Ceremony! – Receiving the Elizabeth Futas Catalyst for Change Award!! and receiving the Marshall Cavendish Excellence in Library Programming Award given to Queens Library for the Queens Library HealthLink and Cancer Action Councils.

Burning Man, Libraries, and the 21st Century: The Intersection of the Individual and Society

Imagine living in a city where censorship does not exist. Where your First Amendment rights and liberties are not only tolerated but encouraged and celebrated? That culture is created and that society exists in physical form for one week every August in Black Rock Desert, Nevada in the community known as Burning Man.

The Intellectual Freedom Round Table is delighted that Larry Harvey, Executive Director of the Burning Man Project, will join Lauren Christos, Chair of the Intellectual Freedom Round Table, in a lively conversation on how intellectual freedom informs the Burning Man experience and our 21st century society. IFRT envisions that our program will challenge and expand the boundaries of currently held intellectual freedom beliefs. Through the social experiment that is Burning Man, the audience may come away with new and creative ideas to explore intellectual freedom in their personal and professional lives.

There will be ample opportunity for Q&A from the audience.

For more about Burning Man @ ALA read the IFRT Report!

STATEMENT OF PROFESSIONAL CONCERNS

 As Councilor-at-Large I am excited about the opportunity to work with the library community to address topics concerning library workers, professional development, advocacy, access to information, technology, and new professionals. Based on my service in ALA, IFLA, and REFORMA, I have acquired the skills vital to continue working with ALA and affiliates to establish and promote programs of benefit and unity to all members. Particularly those to strengthen our association’s ability to mentor, train and support library workers during their careers, between careers, and during retirement. It is my purpose to help facilitate the development of new librarians within libraries and professional associations by continuing the work started when I co-established IFLA New Professionals Special Interest Group to broaden the involvement of recently qualified professionals in ALA, its core values and professional priorities. I am genuinely interested in promoting advocacy and intellectual freedom as I’ve done during my service with the Intellectual Freedom units of ALA and IFLA. It is not a luxury, it is a need. I am deeply committed to advocate for free and equal services to all. I intend to collaborate with the library community to continue identifying ways of using technology in advantageous ways to promote and implement the association’s strategies.

Professional Service: National & International

 -National-

American Library Association, (ALA)

▪ Chair Elect: Intellectual Freedom Round Table

▪ Member. Intellectual Freedom Committee. 2008-Present

▪ Member. Office for Library Advocacy/ Training Subcomittee 2009-2011

▪ Member. International Relations Committee. 2006-2008

▪ Director-at-Large Intellectual Freedom Round Table/ Director-at-Large 2006-2008

▪ Member. 2008 ALA Nominations Committee.

▪ Member. International Relations Round Table/ Americas Subcommittee Member, 2002-2004; 2004-2006.

▪ Member. Diversity Committee/Diversity Council [REFORMA Rep.] 2004-2005; 2005-2006

REFORMA, The National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking

▪ President. REFORMA2009-2010

▪ Member. Executive Board 2006-Present

▪ Member. REFORMA National Conference III Organizing Committee. 2008

▪ Organizer and Speaker: REFORMA Training our Leaders, a nationwide webinar to encourage members to become involve in the association by taking a leadership role. 2008

▪ Chapter Representative (8 states) 2006-2008

▪ President. Northeast Chapter 2005-2006

▪ Chair. Board Member/ Librarian of the Year Award [LOTY],2003-2005

▪ Member. Chair. Northeast Chapter Programs Committee, 2003-2008

▪ Conference Co-Organizer
Joint REFORMA Northeast, American Indian Library Association (AILA), Asian Pacific Library Association (APALA), Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA), and Chinese American Library Association (CALA) Conference. 2005-2008

-International-

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)

▪ Secretary. Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression Committee (FAIFE), an IFLA Core Activity- Co-opted Member 2006-2007; Member 2007-2011. Secretary 2009 – Present

▪ Co-founder. Co-Convenor. New Professionals Special Interest Group [NPSIG] Co-Convenor 2004-2008

▪ Advisor. New Professionals Special Interest Group [NPSIG] 2009-Present

▪ Coordinates NPSIG program for IFLA Annual Congress 2005-Present

▪ Coordinated NPSIG first IFLA pre-conference in conjunction with IFLA CPDWL in Bologna. August 2009.

▪ Ex-Officio member. Management of Library Associations Section 2005 – Present

As a member of FAIFE, presented workshops and speeches in Costa Rica, Mexico City, Colombia, Jamaica, Philippines, Peru, Brazil and Tokyo.Co-developed a one-day conference about access to public health for librarians from nine countries as part of a FAIFE Connecticut/New York workshop. Co-cordinator of a one-year project about IFLA/UNESCO Internet Manifesto Guidelines in Peru.

IFLA Website Working Group-representative from NPDG

ACURIL, Association of Caribbean Universities, Research, Investigation Libraries
Active Member.

▪ Member. Public Relations Committee, 2003

▪ As a member of IFLA/FAIFE, coordinated an IFLA/UNESCO Internet Manifesto Guidelines workshop for librarians attending the XXXVIII ACURIL Conference in Jamaica.

I also want to say that I am honored to join colleagues of the caliber of Camila Alire, Kathleen de la Peña McCook, Patricia Tarin, Trina Magi, Jenna Freedman, Ann C. Sparanese and other amazing colleagues awarded the Futas Award since it was established in 1997.

Thank you so much for your kind words and the beautiful messages sent to various listservs, and to my Facebook and Twitter accounts!

News:

http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pressreleases2010/march2010/futas_gov.cfm

This past February I went on a fantastic “lecture tour” to Spain organized by the US Embassy there. I spoke at events in Murcia, Barcelona and Madrid (in chronological order). It was a joy to share information, ideas and examples about library advocacy, access to information, the social role of libraries, services for immigrants, multicultural populations and youth. It was also fantastic to hear how Spanish colleagues are designing programs to serve ethnic populations and youth. Besides the speeches I also participated of round tables to exchange ideas about how to strategize library services for diverse groups.

I was very glad to hear about projects such as “Community Mediators” (Mediadores de la Comunidad) where a staff member from the library work with persons from different ethnic groups to help them to understand library services, and the way in which city agencies operate. It reminded me of the Coping Skills programs coordinated by Queens Library’s New Americans Program. In Queens, librarians coordinate events held at the library to help newcomers to adapt to life in America, e.g. understand public health and school systems in NYC, how to become a citizen, etc. In Madrid, the Community Mediators meet with ethnic groups in their community centers or houses and explain, most times one-on-one, how to figure out processes in their new country.

Librarians in Murcia, Barcelona and Madrid were wonderful! Each conference was a distinct event which I have attempted to briefly summarize below:

Murcia

The title of the event hosted by the Murcia Regional Library was “La acción Social y Educativa de la Biblioteca en Tiempos de Crisis.” The speakers shared news about libraries taking educational and social action in tough economic times. Half of the attendees came from municipal libraries which have one staff member: the librarian. He/she is in charge of developing all programs and services including collections, and should cover the reference desk as well. I was super impressed with the huge load of work done be these librarians! Another large part of the attendees came from public libraries part of a consortia of libraries. There was also representation from LIS professors and students. Spanish librarians shared information about library services designed to help customers during economic tough times, e.g. partnership between a public library and the local Department of Labor to help job seekers fill out unemployment forms and job applications. I spoke about the social role of libraries, services to immigrants, multicultural populations and advocacy.

Presentations in Spanish! are available at the YouTube Channel of the Biblioteca Regional de Murcia (Murcia Regional Library) http://www.youtube.com/user/brmurcia#p/u

Barcelona

The event hosted by the Barcelona Public Library was titled, “III Jornada de Biblioteca Pública e Inmigración – Protagonistas: Los jóvenes,” and it was about public libraries, immigration and services for youth. The speakers shared successful examples of library services to youth, e.g. Graffitti and poetry for teenagers, radio programs developed by libraries and young adult customers. A large number of attendees were library students and new librarians which was perfect to film a video about new librarians and new professionals in Spain. It should be up on my YouTube channel soon! My talk was about services for multicultural populations and youth. Presentations, here: http://bpimmigracio.wordpress.com/materials/

Madrid

The Goethe Institut in Madrid hosted “III Jornadas Biblioteca Pública y Sociedad Multicultural: Hijos de la Inmigración” which was a most interesting conference about public libraries, multicultural populations and children of immigrants. I particularly liked sessions where attendees discussed topics such as search for identity and internal conflicts experienced by children of immigrants. It was great to hear local librarians and community mediators speak about services for ethnic groups, particularly the Moroccan community. Presentations, here:

Heartfelt thanks to Maria-Jesus Del Olmo, Emilio Garcia-Miguel, and Eva Olle from the US Embassy, and Marta Martinez Valencia, Director of the library magazine “Educación y Biblioteca.” Many thanks to the local organizers from Biblioteca Regional de Murcia, Biblioteca Publica de Barcelona y Goethe Institut.

In these times of tight budgets and restricted travel, attending national conferences has become impossible for many library staff. Many local and regional agencies are joining forces to coordinate “mini” conferences that provide the means of connecting and collaborating locally, often providing a more focused and meaningful experience for attendees. Since 2005, the Northeast Chapter of REFORMA has joined forces with ALA ethnic caucuses to present a terrific conference where library workers network, exchange ideas and listen to quality speakers. What started as an idea has grown into an annual event embraced by REFORMA, AILA, APALA, BCALA and CALA. Come hear best practices in planning, coordinating and hosting a “mini” conference from your colleagues who have had success in their regions. Webinar presenters
include Loida Garcia-Febo, REFORMA president, Tess Tobin, REFORMA’s Northeast Chapter and Haipeng Li and Janice Rice, co-chairs of the Joint Conference of Librarians of Color.

Free Registration here http://blog.webjunctionworks.org/index.php/2010/02/12/webinar-maximizing-connections-with-mini-conferences/