Dr. Maria T. Chavez-Hernandez, 58, passed away peacefully surrounded by family at her home in Tallahassee, Florida on March 19, 2008. She was a native of Managua, Nicaragua and the oldest of 11 brothers and sisters. Dr. Maria T. Chavez-Hernandez was an Associate and Director of the Internship Program (London, England and Florence, Italy) at the Florida State University, College of Information Studies. She oversaw the recruitment, alumni affairs and placement activities of the College in addition to teaching graduate and undergraduate students.

In 1972, she received a Bachelors in Arts in Psychology from the University of Puerto Rico. She received her Masters in Library Science from the University of Pittsburgh in 1979. Dr. Chavez-Hernandez received her Ph.D. in Library Science and Information Studies from Florida State University in 1991. She was responsible for a large body of work focusing on Library and Information Services in the Caribbean region, and provided many resources and programming on the specific Library and Information needs of Latin American immigrants and their families.

Dr. Chavez-Hernandez was also a very active member of FLA, ALA , the Association of Library and Information Science Education (ALISE), the National Education Association (NEA), and National Association to Promote Library Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking (REFORMA). Additionally, she was a member of the Fulbright Senior Specialists Programs. As an international volunteer conducted training seminars in the Central American/Caribbean regions in partnership with the Florida Association of Volunteers in Caribbean Action (FAVACA)

In 2007, The Florida Library Association created the Maria Chavez-Hernandez “Libraries Change Peoples’ Lives” Award in her honor to perpetuate the dynamic spirit of her work in expanding the opportunities of information access to underserved and immigrant populations. She is survived by her loving husband of 35 years, Miguel A. Hernandez, her daughters Teresa Durban (husband David Durban), Carmen Amparo (husband Alex Amparo) and Priscilla Hernandez, three Grandchildren, Amber Amparo, David Durban, Lauren Amparo, Her mother Carmen Josefina Chavez, brothers Alfonso Chavez, Gilberto Chavez, Javier Chavez, David Chavez and Franklin Chavez. Sisters, Carmen Zamora, Marta Ramirez, Ivania Adams, Elena Quinones. She was preceded in death by her father Alfonso Angel Chavez and sister Maria del Rosario Chavez.

In lieu of flowers the family request that memorial contributions may be made to

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tallahassee
712 East 7th Avenue
Tallahassee, Florida 32303

Funeral services will be held at Culleys MeadowWood Funeral Home Riggins Road at 4:30pm on Saturday, March 22, 2008.