History
Before the mid-1950s, there was very limited recognition of the Latino community within U.S. librarianship. By the 1960s, however, the need for information sources for the increasing Spanish-speaking population became more apparent, and some federal funding materialized for libraries to address this need. However, the mainstream profession and its associations remained indifferent to the Latino community, so Latino librarians developed aDr. Arnulfo Trejo, Elizabeth Martinez, and REFORMA
The National Association of Spanish Speaking Librarians in the United States, which would later be called REFORMA, was founded in 1971 by Arnulfo Trejo and Elizabeth Martinez. In 1983, the Association's name was changed to REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library Services to the Spanish Speaking to better reflect the goal of the association. It is now known as REFORMA: The National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking, or just REFORMA.REFORMA National Conferences
REFORMA holds national conference called RNCs: RNC I (Austin, August 22-25, 1996); RNC II (Tucson); RNC III "Bridging the Gaps: Juntos @ the Border"(El Paso, September 19-21, 2008); RNC IV (Denver), RNC V “Bibliotecas sin fronteras: creando nuestro futuro / Libraries without Borders: Creating Our Future.”(San Diego); RNC VI (San Juan,Puerto Rico-cancelled due to Hurricane Maria) and RNC VII, "Somos el cambio / We Are the Change" (Virtual, November 4-7, 2021).REFORMA Highlights
In 1985 Susan Luévano-Molina became the first female president of REFORMA. In 2006, REFORMA took part in the first Joint Conference of Librarians of Color, along with the American Indian Library Association, the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association, the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, the Chinese American Librarians Association. This conference was the first national conference sponsored and held by those organizations, which are known as the Associations of Ethnic Librarians. The Joint Council of Librarians of Color (JCLC, Inc.) was founded in June 2015 as an organization “that advocates for and addresses the common needs of the American Library Association ethnic affiliates“; these ethnic affiliates include REFORMA, as well as the American Indian Library Association, the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association, the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, and the Chinese American Librarians Association. In 2019 the50th Anniversary
REFORMA celebrated 50 years with a virtual conference:Governing Structure
REFORMA is governed by the Board of Directors, composed of the Executive Committee, the Chairs of Standing Committees, the Chapter Presidents, and any other person/office designated by the Board.Activities
REFORMA's activities include promoting the collection of Spanish-language materials in libraries; advocating the recruitment of Latinos to work in libraries in order to better serve the Latino population, educating Latinos about the services public libraries offer; promoting library programs that benefit Latinos. REFORMA also serves as a network ofAwards and Scholarships
REFORMA has provided scholarships to graduate library school students who plan to work with the Latino community since the early 1980s. REFORMA grants four awards: the Trejo Librarian of the Year Award presented to a librarian who has made exemplary contributions to the library profession in service to the Latino community; the Elizabeth Martinez Lifetime Achievement Award recognizing a librarian whose dedication to librarianship "has made significant and lasting contributions to REFORMA or on REFORMA's behalf, as well as to the Latino and Spanish-speaking community"; the Pat Mora Award presented to libraries in recognition of their Día de Los Niños/Día de Los Libros (Children's Day/Book Day) activities; and the Pura Belpré Award given to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator for excellence in Latino literature for children and youth. The Rose Treviño Memorial Scholarship is open to Latinos and/or Spanish speakers pursuing a degree in children and young adult librarianship, and the REFORMA Scholarship is open to students who qualify for graduate study in Library and Information Science who are Spanish-speakers or interested in serving Latinos or the Spanish-speaking.Presidents
The Presidency of REFORMA is currently a position that is held for three years, including one as Vice President/President-Elect and one as Past President. Past and current presidents: * David Lopez (2023-2024) * Romelia Salinas (2022-2023) * Nicanor Diaz (2021-2022) * Oscar Baeza (2020–2021) * Kenny Garcia (2019–2020) * Madeline Peña (2018–2019) * Tess Tobin (2017–2018) * Selina Gomez-Beloz (2016–2017) * Beatriz Guevara (2015–2016) * Silvia Cisneros (2014–2015) * Isabel Espinal (2013–2014) * Denice Adkins (2012–2013) * Maria Kramer (2011–2012) * Lucia M. Gonzalez (2010–2011) * Loida Garcia-Febo (2009–2010) * Luis Chaparro (2008–2009) * Mario Ascencio (2007–2008) * Roxana Benavides (2006–2007) * Ana-Elba Pavón (2005–2006) * José Ruiz Álvarez (2004–2005) * Linda Chavez Doyle (2003–2004) * Ben Ocón (2002–2003) * Susana Hinojosa (2001–2002) * Oralia Garza de Cortes (2000–2001) * Toni Bissessar (1999–2000) * Jacqueline Ayala (1998–1999) * Sandra Ríos Balderrama (1997–1998) * Edward Erazo (1996–1997) * Judith Castiano (1995–1996) * Gilda Baeza Ortego (1994–1995) * Camila Alire (1993–1994) * Martín Gómez (1992–1993) * Mario González (1991–1992) * Ron Rodríguez (1990–1991) * Rhonda Ríos-Kravitz (1989–1990) * Ingrid Betancourt (1988–1989) * Elizabeth Rodriguez-Miller (1987–1988) * Elena Tscherny (1986–1987) * Susan Luévano-Molina (1985–1986) * Salvador Güereña (1984–1985) * Albert A. Milo (1983–1984) * Luis Herrera (1982–1983) * Cesar Caballero (1980–1982) * Daniel Flores Durán (1978–1980) * Roberto Cabello Argandoña (1977–1978) * José G. Taylor (1976–1977) * John Ayala (1974–1976) * Alberto Irabian (1974–1974) * Arnulfo Trejo (1971–1974)External links
*References
{{Authority control 1971 establishments in the United States Hispanic and Latino American culture in Washington, D.C. Hispanic and Latino American librarians Hispanic and Latino American organizations Library associations in the United States Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C. Organizations established in 1971 Library-related organizations