Award Named Honoring Maria Chavez-Hernandez

Posted by Alex Lehner on

The Florida Library Association (FLA) announced an award honoring Dr. Maria Chavez-Hernandez of the FSU College of Information last week. The “Maria Chavez-Hernandez Libraries Change Peoples Lives Award” will celebrate the “dynamic spirit of her work in expanding the opportunities of information access to under-served and immigrant populations” by recognizing librarians who have “made a demonstrably positive and big difference in the lives of Florida’s library users.”

Here is the Jan. 9 press release sent by FLA Awards Committee Chair Harold George:

The Florida Library Association is pleased to announce the creation of the “Maria Chavez-Hernandez Libraries Change Peoples’ Lives Award.” Named in honor of Florida State University’s Dr. Maria Chavez-Hernandez, this award will recognize an individual library employee or group of employees who have made a demonstrably positive and big difference in the lives of Florida’s library users.

Nominations are open to all types of libraries, library organizations and library associations in the state, all types of programs and services may be nominated. Of special focus will be programs and services that provide outreach to immigrant and/or underserved populations; other types of services can also be nominated. All programs/services must be in place for at least two years.

The Florida Library Association is proud to create this award in honor of Dr. Chavez-Hernandez, and to perpetuate the dynamic spirit of her work in expanding the opportunities of information access to under-served and immigrant populations.

Dr. Chavez-Hernandez received her Ph.D. in Library Science and Information Studies from Florida State University in 1991. She is responsible for a large body of works focusing on Library and Information Services in the Caribbean region, and has provided many resources and programming on the specific Library and Information needs of Latin American immigrants and their families.

The deadline to submit nominations for this award is February 15. Nominating forms can be found by visiting the FLA home page and clicking on the Awards link at the top of the page.