Librarian

The Joint Conference of Librarians of Color Awards and Scholarships Committee announces the fifteen recipients for the JCLC Advocacy, Author, and Distinguished Service Awards. Each of the 5 ethnic caucuses of the American LibraryAssociation-the American Indian Library Association (AILA), Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA), Black Caucus of the American
Library Association (BCALA), Chinese American Librarians Association
(CALA), and the National Association to Provide Library and Information
Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking (REFORMA)-has one recipient in each of the three award categories.

We are pleased and proud to recognize these fifteen individuals for their substantial and lasting contribution to libraries and librarianship, and to the appreciation of diversity in a multicultural society. Each award recipient will receive a plaque at the JCLC Conference, “Gathering at the Waters: Embracing Our Spirits, Telling Our Stories,” October 11-15, 2006, in Dallas, Texas, organized and sponsored by AILA, APALA, BCALA, CALA, and REFORMA. In addition, the distinguished service awardees will each receive $1,000 from JCLC.

Representing AILA

Naomi R. Caldwell,

Recipient of JCLC Advocacy Award Naomi R. Caldwell,
member of the Ramapough Lenape Nation, is an expert advocate for library services for Native Americans: persuasive and constant. She is known for providing a calming voice of reason to the perpetual and often heated issue of the portrayal of American Indians in children’s literature. Her seminal work, co-authored with Lisa Mitten, “I is Not for Indians: The Portrayal of American Indians in Books for Youth” has become an important guide by which the uninitiated might learn to be more sensitive to this issue. Professor Caldwell speaks eloquently and often at conferences throughout the United States and beyond. She has served as President of the American Indian Library Association and on the boards of Oyate (a Native organization designed to evaluate materials for youth about
American Indians) and If I Can Read I Can Do Anything (a literacy program for Native American students attending reservation schools). She has also written and spoken in her thoughtful way on indigenous intellectual property rights, another important and thorny issue in Native library services. Not content to rest on her well-earned laurels, she is currently influencing and educating future librarians through her teaching at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Library and Information Studies. She is a mentor to both new and seasoned librarians, and her advocacy work is an inspiration to many. Her colleague Lisa Mitten says of
her, “Naomi has been a personal inspiration, with her patience and
cautious approaches to inflammatory issues; a professional mentor,
offering support and advice when asked; and most of all, a friend, who I am honored to have. Her career path has been an example to many Native library workers and academics.”

James Welch (1940-2003), JCLC Author Award

James Welch, a member of the Blackfeet Nation, was part of a movement
called the Native American Renaissance that brought awareness and interest
to Native American literature. He was awarded the American Book Award in
1986, and in 1997 the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Native Writers’
Circle of the Americas. He was also honored with a medal for The Knight of
the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government.

He was a master of words and nuance who captured the essence of his
characters with the art of storytelling. The power of his fiction and
poetry established him a place in American Literature. He wrote about the
reservation, the landscape, and the people found there. He wrote about
what it means to be an Indian in Modern American Society and also about
the people without clichés, without glorification, in an honest clear
voice. His works include Winter in the Blood, The Death of Jim Loney,
Fool’s Crow, The Indian Lawyer, Killing Custer: The Battle of the Little
Bighorn and the Fate of the Plains Indians, Riding the Earthboy 40, and
Heartsong of Charging Elk.

Bonnie Biggs.

Recipient of JCLC Distinguished Service Award Bonnie Biggs, Professor Emeritus and Tribal Liaison at California State University, San Marcos and former president of the American Indian Library Association, has worked tirelessly for over twenty years to establish and develop tribal libraries. Her efforts have touched the lives of many not just in Southern California but throughout the country. She has personally visited nearly 75 tribal libraries in California, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arizona and several other states. She is a role model, an advocate and a mentor.Her numerous publications and presentations, research projects and grants have earned her a reputation as a librarian scholar. As project director of the Tierra Del Sol Tribal Library Census and Needs Assessment Study, Bonnie brought tribal library needs to the attention of the California State Library. According to Doretta Musick, Director of the Pala Tribal Library, “They didn’t know we existed before Bonnie made them pay attention.” Bonnie adopted the library in Pala and has worked with the staff for years finding funding, training and internship opportunities. Bonnie established a successful Public Library Internship Program with San Jose State University’s School of Library Science which over 20 tribal members have completed. Ms Musick says of the internship program, “It has meant everything. She has helped us to become a real library over the years.”
Bonnie founded the Native Libraries Round Table within the California
Library Association and was instrumental in organizing the first State
Library sponsored California Tribal Library workshop. This work has had a
catalytic effect spreading to other states. Throughout her career at Cal
State San Marcos and after she retired, Bonnie has worked passionately for
tribal libraries. The impact Bonnie has had on tribal library services has
been enormous and serves as a model of librarianship in villages, pueblos
and on reservations throughout the country. Her successes give us all
hope.

Representing APALA

Patricia (Patty) M. Y. Wong.
Recipient of JCLC Advocacy Award.With over 20 years of experience in libraries as an administrator, school librarian, children’s librarian, cataloger, and special librarian, Patty Wong has been a steadfast advocate for communities of color. Currently Deputy Director of Library Services at the Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library, Patty is actively involved with six cities and library advisory boards, six friends groups, and one library and literacy foundation. Patty has worked extensively with diverse communities and promoted cultural awareness throughout her career. She worked as a trainer and consultant for the California State Library and has been keynote speaker at a number of professional conferences. As a speaker, she covered topics including “Recruiting for Diversity” and “Overcoming Language and Cultural Barriers to Effective Library Service.” Her work on managing change, cultural diversity, youth development, fundraising, and collaborations between public libraries and community agencies has been published in a number of journals and edited collections. Her publications include, “Asian American Videos for Children and Young Adults” in Multicultural Videos for Children and Young Adults (Neal Schuman, NY, 1999) and Harmony in Diversity: Recommendations for Effective Library Service to Asian Language Speakers (California State Library, Sacramento, CA, 1998). Among many awards and honors she’s received, Patty was recipient of the Gale/EMIERT Multicultural Award in both 1997 and 2004. In the area of professional service, Patty has been an effective leader and advocate of diversity issues in libraries. Patty served as President of APALA and CALA and recently completed her term on the Executive Board of ALA. She’s also been active in the California Library Association, REFORMA, and has served as member and chair of many conference planning and working committees in several professional associations. Throughout her career, Patty has worked to develop and advocate for library services to communities of color and inspired other Asian American librarians to have higher aspirations for involvement in profession associations. APALA is proud to award the JCLC 2006 Advocacy Award to Patricia M. Y. Wong.

Linda Sue Park,

Recipient of JCLC Author Award.”Tree-ear’s determination and bravery in pursuing his dream of becoming a potter takes readers on a literary journey that demonstrates how courage,honor and perseverance can overcome great odds and bring great happiness.
Park effectively conveys 12th century Korea in this masterful piece of
historical fiction,” said Kathleen Odean, chair of the Newbery Award
Selection Committee when ALA named Linda Sue Park’s A Single Shard Newbery Medal winner in 2002. When Linda Sue Park was nine years old, her first published haiku earned her a check for one whole dollar, which her father still has. As a daughter of Korean immigrants, Ms. Park has been writing poems and stories since she was four years old.

As an adult, Ms. Park lived for seven years in Dublin and London, working
for an advertising agency and teaching English as a Second Language. Ms.
Park and her family moved back to the United States where she continued
teaching English to international students. It took a while, but she
finally realized what she really wanted to do was write children’s books.
In 1997, she wrote her first book Seesaw Girl, which was published in
1999. Since then, she has published eleven children’s books, many of
which have earned favorable reviews from critics and readers, and have
been recognized on various reading lists nationally.

Although Lawrence Yep’s Dragonwings was a Newbery Honor in 1976, Linda Sue Park is the first Asian American author to win the Medal. She also earned honorable mentions two years in a row for the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. Linda Sue Park continues to write with pride as an Asian
American and serves as an inspiration to many other future Asian American
children’s book authors. APALA is proud to award the JCLC 2006 Author Award to Linda Sue Park.

Sushila Shah.

Recipient of JCLC Distinguished Service Award Sushila Shah
is well known among librarians of color for her dedicated service to
better understanding the needs of diverse populations. She has worked
tirelessly in many capacities, both in the Asian Pacific American Library
Association (APALA) as well as in ALA committees that are concerned with diversity. She has served on numerous committees in ALA, the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALECTS), the Library Administration and Management Association (LAMA), and the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL).
Sushila has particularly distinguished herself through her work in APALA,
as president from 2001-2002 and chair of the Membership Committee
(1992-1995) and Nominating Committee (2002-2004). Sushila’s drive for
increasing APALA’s membership is well known. At conferences, she
networked with Asian attendees and convinced many about the benefits of
joining of APALA. During her presidential year, APALA had one of the
largest numbers of members attending meetings. Lifetime membership in
APALA was also introduced at this time. Sushila took a leadership role in
developing a strategic plan for APALA. She worked with the APALA Executive Board in revising the Constitution and Bylaws. She streamlined procedures for filing annual federal and state taxes and established the position of Executive Director for APALA. She was instrumental in raising $2,350 to establish the APALA Scholarship Fund to provide financial assistance to library school students of Asian or Pacific Islander heritage. During her presidency, APALA and the Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA) came together and held their first National Conference for Asian Librarians in 2001. Sushila Shah helped to set a new direction for APALA at the start of the millennium, establishing many milestones for the
future. Her strong belief in developing opportunities for young leaders
and tireless work improved the efficiency and effectiveness of APALA.
Through her many contributions to APALA, Sushila has served as an
exemplary leader. We are thrilled to honor Sushila for her kindness,
generosity, and the wisdom she brings to her work in libraries and APALA.

Representing BCALA

Wendy B. Tann.
Recipient of JCLC Advocacy Award

Wendy B. Tann, of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia: Library &
Research Center at Temple University Health Sciences Center Library, is a
kind, gracious, and thoughtful mentor in the field of librarianship. Wendy
encourages students to get involved in volunteer activities which help the
black community of Philadelphia in the form of book giveaways,
disseminating information to professionals, students, and children and
teaching new information regarding accessing information. She models
herself by sharing her experiences. Wendy’s quiet nature may fool many,
but she is a true force for empowerment in the Philadelphia area. Wendy
has an active role in organizations such as Gathering of African Americans
in Library Service and BCALA. She has a keen sense of pride and
understanding of the plight many minorities face. She can inspire and
share a great deal of information with those attending the conference.

Maya Angelou.

Recipient of JCLC Author Award.
Maya Angelou (born Marguerite Johnson) is one of the remarkable voices of
contemporary literature. As a world renowned poet, educator, actress,
civil rights activist, and playwright, her illuminating writings and
lectures are inspirational as well as motivational. Dr. Angelou has
authored twelve books, including the all time best selling works I Know
Why The Caged Bird Sings, Gather Together In My Name, Singin’ and Swingin’ And Gettin’ Merry Like Christmas, The Heart Of A Woman, and All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes. More recently A Song Flung Up To Heaven, the sixth installment of her autobiography, won a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album in 2003. In 1993, she was the second U.S. poet to offer an original inaugural poem, “On the Pulse of Morning” at the inauguration of President Bill Clinton. Dr. Angelou never fails to summon the ancestors and through this link she embraces their spirits while telling our
stories. Angelou was among 25 African American women honored by Oprah
Winfrey in 2005 at her “Legends Ball”. Angelou has evolved as one of the
greatest African American heroines of our time and BCALA is pleased to
honor her achievements.

Binnie T. Wilkin.

Recipient of JCLC Distinguished Service Award
Binnie T. Wilkin is a librarian’s librarian. Over the years, she has
performed as an outstanding storyteller, lectured and served on the
faculty of several distinguished universities such as UCLA Graduate School
of Library and Information Science and the University of Hawaii.

Her time spent with the Los Angeles Public Library and the Los Angeles
County Public Library Systems helped to solidify the development of
African American resources and the improvement of employee relations in
the workplace. She is a published author of books and numerous journal
articles. Binnie has been a very effective and visible presence on the
state level with the California Library Association, and on the local
level with the California Librarians Black Caucus, always advocating the
inclusion of African American librarians in decisions and policy making
activities. Her concerns have extended to the rights of all minorities.
She has also served on committees for library planning. Ms. Wilkin never
fails to remind us of the contributions and dedication of the early
African American pioneers in our field and is among the first to support
recognition of these women (and men) who paved the way. She is equally
concerned with attracting new librarians to the field through recruitment
and scholarship assistance. She has graciously shared her expertise with
newer and less experienced librarians. She has been and still is an
inspiration to library professionals through out the Pacific Southwest
area, and merits the recognition due her for her overall service to the
profession.

Representing CALA

Dr. Hwa-Wei Lee.
Recipient of JCLC Advocacy Award
In his distinctive career, Dr. Hwa-Wei Lee has already achieved many
“Firsts” domestically including “the first American library director of
Chinese origin” and “the first Chinese appointed as Chief of Asian
Division, Library of Congress.” He is also a well-known figure in
international librarianship. He has left footprints in the five
continents, especially in Southeast Asia, as a library consultant and
lecturer. Because of the role model he set as a world citizen who advanced
human understanding while setting unparalleled standards to the
profession, he is highly praised as “the International Ambassador of
Library.”

Dr. Lee graduated from National Taiwan Normal University, and received his
MA in Education, MLS, and Ph.D. in Education from the University of
Pittsburgh. For forty years he held professional library positions at
University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University, Colorado State University,
and Ohio University where he was Dean of the libraries for twenty-one
years. Because of his able leadership in achieving the library’s
unprecedented growth into a strong research institution, Ohio University
honored his retirement by naming a new library annex as the Hwa-Wei Lee
Library Annex on May 22, 1999. A strong believer in diversity in the
library community, Dr. Lee has played important roles in numerous
professional organizations. He was past president of CALA and a member of its Board of Directors, and won distinguished services awards from CALA
and APALA. Dr. Lee has also been very active in IFLA and is a much
sought-after lecturer and consultant in multicultural librarianship. At
Ohio University, he developed international collections for Southeast
Asian Studies as well as for other parts of the world.

As a renowned scholar in the library field, he is the author of three
books and more than sixty articles, conference papers, and consultant
reports, as well as editor of many conference proceedings.

Amy Tan, Recipient of JCLC Author Award.

Amy Tan was born in Oakland, California. She grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, graduated from high school in Montreux, Switzerland, and received her master’s degree in Linguistics from San Jose State
University. Amy Tan is one of the greatest authors in America. Twenty
years ago, a list of well-known American authors would have included
virtually no Asian-Americans. Today Amy Tan is one of America’s most
popular novelists. For her first book, The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan won the
National Book Award and the L.A. Times Book Award in 1989. Her subsequent books, The Kitchen God’s Wife (1991), The Hundred Secret Senses (1995), The Bonesetter’s Daughter (2001), The Opposite of Fate: A Book of Musings (2003), and Saving Fish from Drowning (2005) have been best-sellers, and the film version of The Joy Luck Club was an unprecedented success. Although her books are primarily concerned with the lives of Asian-American women, her stories have found an enthusiastic audience among Americans of all backgrounds, and have already been translated into 23 languages.

Ms. Sally Tseng,
Recipient of JCLC Distinguished Service Award.
Ms. Sally Tseng has legendary experience for promoting librarianship in
the community of color. She was one of the founders who made the Chinese American Librarian Association (CALA) a national organization in the early 1980s, and served as its President from 1984-1985 and the Executive Director from 1999 to present. Under her visionary leadership and
tireless work, CALA has made significant growth in its membership and
distinguished itself as a major entity in the library profession both at
home and abroad. As a driving force behind CALA, Ms. Tseng is also a
strong advocate for diversity in the library profession as well as in ALA
governance. She was one of the first few CALA members elected to the ALA Council. Ms. Tseng has also played a great many leadership roles in
various professional organizations and societies such as ALA, ACRL, ALCTS and APALA. Ms. Tseng has had a distinctive career. She was the Head of Serial Cataloging Section at the University of California, Irvine until
her retirement a few years ago. As a professional, she is a high
achiever. Her accomplishments have been highlighted by sixteen
professional awards, thirty-eight publications (books, book chapters and
articles), and more than sixty presentations. She is also an
international lecturer, presenter, and teacher for the profession. Over
the past twenty years, Ms. Tseng led CALA to establish an excellent
relationship with the library societies of mainland China and Taiwan to
convey the principles we hold firmly in the States, such as the freedom to
information access, and to exchange ideas on librarianship in the digital
age. Most significantly, Ms. Tseng has been an excellent role model for
many Chinese American librarians. Not only has she excelled herself in the
profession, she also cared for the growth of fellow CALA members. She has
encouraged many of them to get involved in the developing of the Chinese
American librarianship. She donated funds to establish the Sally Tseng
Professional Development for CALA members to conduct empirical research projects.

Representing REFORMA

Sandra Rios Balderrama.
Recipient of JCLC Advocacy Award.
Sandra Rios Balderrama’s achievements and contributions to librarianship
should be recognized and celebrated. She has had a tremendous impact on
key professional associations and organizations. She has promoted,
advocated and believed in multiculturalism and diversity in libraries as
Director of the Office for Diversity of the American Library Association,
as National REFORMA President (1997-1998), co-founder of the Pura Belpre Award; Vice-President of the Trejo Foster Foundation and, most recently, as REFORMA office manager. She is without a doubt a key leader in the profession, a mentor and friend extraordinaire.

Rudolfo Anaya,.
Recipient of JCLC Author Award
Rudolfo Anaya has made a substantial and lasting contribution to the
understanding of diversity and a multicultural society. He is regarded as
the founder of modern Chicano Literature. He has taught, mentored, and
encouraged many of the new authors writing today. He provided a place of
solitude for writers called “La Casita” in Jemez Springs for three months
in the summer for several years. Authors were able to stay a week at La
Casita to find inspiration for their work. It was a very generous gift to
the authors who went there and took advantage of such a beautiful place.
In 2002, he received the National Medal of the Arts from President George
W. Bush in recognition of his lifetime inspiration to others through
distinguished achievement, support, and patronage to the arts. Anaya has
amassed 30 years of awards, including the Premio Quinto Sol for Bless Me
Ultima and the Tomas Rivera Award twice for Farolitos of Christmas and My
Land Sings. He has been recognized by NEH for Excellence in the Humanities and the New Mexico Governor’s Public Service Award.
Anaya’s novels, short stories, plays and children’s books preserve and
bring to life the folklore and mythology of the Chicano Culture. He has
retold and translated some of the traditional stories of Mexico. He
reminds every culture to look to their myths and traditions to keep
themselves in touch with who they are and where they came from. He has
been writing for 30 years and is a prolific author whose exceptional
contribution to Contemporary American Literature has brought national
recognition to the Chicano and Latino literature in this country. Anaya’s
generous donation of his manuscript collection to the University of New
Mexico in 2003 will give scholars and students who are studying his work a
wealth of primary information. He established the Premio Aztlan in 1993
with his wife Patricia to encourage and reward emerging Chicano authors.
He established the Rudolfo and Patricia Anaya Critica Nueva Award in 1997
to recognize the foremost scholars in Literary Theory and Criticism. In
2006 the University of New Mexico set up the Rudolfo Anaya
Scholarship/Fellowship to continue excellence in Chicano Literature. The
University has taken the Premio Aztlan and the Critica Nueva Award as
their own and they sponsor the awards in honor of Anaya. Anaya is a very
gracious and vibrant author who inspires many people through his writing
and reminds us of our heritage and culture.

Albert J. Milo.
Recipient of JCLC Distinguished Service Award.
Throughout his career, Albert J. Milo has demonstrated strong leadership
and dedication to the library profession. He has devoted his career to
providing library service to underrepresented communities. He earned his
M.L.S. degree at the University of Michigan’s Graduate School of Library
Science. His first professional position was at the Chicago Public Library
and his subsequent positions included posts with the Anaheim Public
Library, City of Commerce Public Library, Santiago Cooperative Library
System, and the California State University at Fullerton Library. His most
recent position has been as Library Director of the Fullerton Public
Library in Fullerton, California. Albert Milo has been an active member of
REFORMA for over 30 years and has taken on a leadership role at the local, regional and national levels. He has served as President of the Orange County Chapter of REFORMA and as the national President of REFORMA. For many years, he served as the Membership Coordinator of REFORMA, maintaining the membership roster and directory. In 1995, he was honored as the recipient of REFORMA’s Librarian of the Year Award. His “Ten Reasons for Developing Spanish Language Collections” has been a landmark tool used by libraries to develop Spanish language collections and to defend such acquisitions.

In 1996, Milo served on the Steering Committee for the first REFORMA
National Conference which was successfully held in Austin, Texas. He has
also contributed to LAMA’s Diversity Committee, promoting management
development opportunities to minority librarians. One of the most
successful LAMA sponsored Diversity Grants was awarded to the Orange
County Chapter of REFORMA’s M.E.T.A. outreach and mentoring program to recruit more minorities into the Library profession. In addition to his
contributions to the library profession, Albert J. Milo has actively
participated with the Chicano/Latino Alumni Association of Stanford
University and continues to mentor Chicano/Latino students.

JCLC Awards Committee:

Liana Zhou, Chair
Richard Bradberry, Ph.D.
Alexandra Rivera
Buenaventura (Venn) B. Basco