Today, on November 30, 2017, 10 librarians were honored with the 2017 I Love My Librarian Award for their outstanding public service contributions, and the OMA and OSQA curator and archivist Natalia Fernández was one of them!
Selected from more than 1,100 nominations submitted by library users nationwide, including educators and members of the public, the winning librarians were recognized for their leadership in transforming lives and communities through education and lifelong learning.
The 2017 award winners include amazing librarians such as a public librarian who helps economically disadvantaged families connect with social services; a school librarian who inspires a love of reading in students who are new to the country or speak English as a second language; and a public librarian who helps underserved teens explore their passions and prepare for college.
More information is available on the I Love My Librarian website, 2017 Winners
“This year’s I Love My Librarian Award recipients are true leaders who are inspiring and implementing strategies to better their communities,” said Jim Neal, president of the American Library Association. “Whether it’s fostering inclusion and diversity or mentoring youth, these librarians are expanding beyond their traditional roles and providing more opportunities to meet the changing needs of the patrons they serve.”
The ceremony is hosted by the philanthropic foundation Carnegie Corporation of New York, which co-sponsors the award along with The New York Public Library and The New York Times. The American Library Association administers the award through its Public Awareness Office, which promotes the value of libraries and librarians.
Natalia Fernández, Associate Professor, Curator and Archivist of the Oregon Multicultural Archives and OSU Queer Archives
“It is such a joy to collaborate with Oregon State University’s and the state of Oregon’s LGBTQIA and communities of color to create opportunities that empower them to preserve and celebrate their stories. I am so grateful to work with such wonderful community members who are so open to sharing their histories, as well as to work in an environment that supports the initiatives I direct.
I am very honored and humbled that my incredible colleagues and community partners nominated me for this award. If there were an award titled “I Love My Community”, they would definitely win it.
Librarians and archivists are in a unique position to positively impact the communities we serve as we create a more socially just and inclusive society, and I am so proud to be a part of this profession.”
