Elizabeth Martinez (librarian)

Last updated

Elizabeth Martinez (born April 14, 1948) [1] is a librarian whose career has focused on bringing diversity, multiculturalism and equality to public libraries and information policy. In 1966 she was the first Mexican American librarian to serve in the state of California. [1] Martinez has served as a library administrator, professor, Executive Director of the American Library Association, and other roles throughout her career.

Contents

Education

Martinez began her studies at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles where she obtained a B.A. in Latin American studies in 1965. [2] While there, she took a children's literature course for the English requirement, but finding a lack of representation for indigenous people and cultures from around the world in the course she began contemplating how literature from non-European nations can be better disseminated to the masses. [3] In 1966 Martinez received her Master of Arts in Library Science degree from the University of California. [2] She later continued her education by receiving a certificate of management from USC in 1978 and an executive management program certificate from the University of California, Irvine in 1986. [1]

Career

Upon graduating with her Library Science degree in 1966, Martinez became California's first Mexican American librarian when she took a position in the Los Angeles County Public Library. [1] She worked in East Los Angeles libraries, and later in various library administrative roles. In 1971 Martinez co-founded REFORMA, [4] which is an affiliate organization of the American Library Association (ALA). Along with Binnie Tate Wilkin, she co-chaired the first ALA policy on diversity “Equity at Issue” in 1986. [4] She was County Librarian of Orange County in 1979-1990 during which time she oversaw the construction of 8 new community libraries among other achievements. [1] In the 1970's at County of Los Angeles Public Library, Martinez developed the Asian, Pacific Islander, Black, Chicano, and Native American resource centers. [4] Martinez served as the Executive Director of the ALA from 1994 - 1997. During her tenure at the ALA, she developed the Spectrum Scholarship program and the Office for Information Technology Policy was established. She also proposed a program to Bill Gates that resulted in a $200 million grant dedicated to bridging the information gap by connecting more than 4,000 public libraries in poor communities across the US to the Internet. [4] As Director of Los Angeles Public Library she oversaw the construction of the fire-destroyed 500,000 square foot Central Library.

Martinez has been credited with reviving the Salinas Public Library system while she served as the Library Director there due to the expansion of the Cesar Chavez Library and implementation of new programming and multicultural initiatives. [3] She was adjunct faculty at her Alma mater of UCLA until 2003. She was a lecturer at San Jose State University and University of Arizona, and UCLA Senior Fellow. Some of the courses she has taught at SJSU include: Library Services for Racially and Ethnically Diverse Communities, Seminar on Contemporary Issues, and Professional Experience Internships. [5] Martinez has served on various committees and boards throughout her career and is currently appointed a Commissioner of the New Mexico State Library by the governor. [6] In 2013, REFORMA established the Elizabeth Martinez Lifetime Achievement Award to recognize librarians who have served over 20 years and whose leadership has made significant and lasting contributions to Spanish speaking communities. [7] In 2020 her memoir, Jaguar in the Library. The Story of the First Chicana Librarian, was published by Floricanto Press Hispanic Latino Books. [8]

Selected Awards and Honors

Related Research Articles

REFORMA: The National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking, more commonly known as REFORMA, is an affiliate of the American Library Association formed in 1971 to promote library services to Latinos and the Spanish-speaking. It is registered in Washington, D.C. as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arnulfo Trejo</span> American academic (1922–2002)

Arnulfo Duenes Trejo was a writer and Professor of Library Science at the University of Arizona. He was a leader in the movement to increase library collections of Latino literature and Spanish-language materials in the United States. He was also instrumental in efforts to train more Latino and Spanish-speaking people as professional librarians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camila Alire</span> American librarian

Camila Alire is an American librarian and was president of the American Library Association from 2009 to 2010. She was the first Hispanic president of the ALA. She was previously the president of REFORMA, National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-speaking, in 1993-1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucia M. Gonzalez</span> American writer

Lucia M. Gonzalez is a children's author and librarian. In 2020 she was elected as president of the Association for Library Service to Children of the American Library Association. She was president of REFORMA in 2010-2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henrietta M. Smith</span> American academic (1922–2021)

Henrietta M. Smith was an American academic, librarian, and storyteller, who edited four editions of the Coretta Scott King Award collection published by the American Library Association. In 2008, she was honored with the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes significant contributions to library service to children and ALSC. She is also the recipient of the 2011 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement for her body of work as a significant and lasting literary contribution. She was honored during the 2014 Carle Honors Celebration by the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art for her life's work as a champion of diversity in children's literature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathleen de la Peña McCook</span> American librarian

Kathleen de la Peña McCook is a library scholar and librarian. Much of her work centers around human rights, First Amendment issues, and the freedom of information.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miriam Matthews</span> American librarian and art collector

Miriam Matthews was an American librarian, advocate for intellectual freedom, historian, and art collector. In 1927, Matthews became the first credentialed African American librarian to be hired by the Los Angeles Public Library.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diversity in librarianship</span>

The field of library science seeks to provide a diverse working environment in libraries. Ways to change the status quo include diversifying the job field with regards to age, class, disabilities, ethnicity, gender identity, race, sex, and sexual orientation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Althea Warren</span> Director of the Los Angeles Public Library, president of the American Library Association

Althea Hester Warren was the director of the Los Angeles (California) Public Library from 1933 to 1947 and president of the American Library Association in 1943-1944. She was inducted into the California Library Association's Library Hall of Fame in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loida Garcia-Febo</span> Puerto Rican American librarian

Loida Garcia-Febo is a Puerto Rican American librarian and library consultant. Garcia-Febo served on the Governing Board of the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) 2013-2015 and 2015-2017 and she was a member of the executive board of the American Library Association 2015-2020 serving as a board member and president. She was president of the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking (REFORMA) from 2009 to 2010.

This is a timeline of women in library science throughout the world.

Oralia Garza de Cortes is a librarian, advocate, bibliographer, and scholar. She has been honored by REFORMA with the Lifetime Achievement Award which recognizes excellence in librarianship over a career for one who has made significant and lasting contributions to Latino and Spanish-speaking communities.

Ann K. Symons is an American librarian. She served as a president of the American Library Association from 1998 to 1999 and prior to that Treasurer from 1992 to 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clara Chu</span> Librarian

Clara Chu is a Chinese-Canadian library and information science scholar. She is the Director of the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research interest is in multicultural library and information services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Betty J. Turock</span> American librarian and educator (born 1936)

Betty J. Turock is an American librarian and educator who served as president of the American Library Association from 1995 to 1996. She was a member of the faculty of the Rutgers School of Communication and Information for 22 years. Turock is best known for her advocacy for equity of access to electronic information via the Internet as well as for championing diversity in the library profession.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joyce Sumbi</span> American librarian

Joyce Annette Madkins Sumbi was an American librarian. She was the first African-American administrator in the LA County Library system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patty Wong (librarian)</span> American librarian

Patricia "Patty" Wong is the city librarian of Santa Clara, California. Wong was the president of the American Library Association (ALA) for the 2021-2022 term and is the first Asian American president of the ALA. She has been on the faculty at the San Jose State University iSchool since 2006, teaching subjects such as equitable access to library services, library management, and library services to young people.

Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada is an American librarian. She is the adult services assistant manager for the Palos Verdes Library District in Southern California. In 2021, Pelayo-Lozada was elected as president of the American Library Association for the 2022-2023 term; she is the youngest person to be elected ALA president as well as the first Pacific Islander.

Nicole Amy Cooke is an African-American librarian and the Augusta Baker Endowed Chair at the University of South Carolina. Her research focus on critical cultural information studies in libraries and her advocacy for social justice have earned recognition in the library profession.

The American Library Association Equality Award has been given annually by the American Library Association since 1984 in recognition of achievement for outstanding contribution toward promoting equality in the library profession, either by a sustained contribution or a single outstanding accomplishment. The award may be given for an activist or scholarly contribution in such areas as pay equity, affirmative action, legislative work and non-sexist education. The inaugural award was bestowed on Margaret Myers, Director, Office of Library Personnel Resources of the American Library Association in 1984.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Telgen, Diane (1993-01-01). Notable Hispanic American Women. VNR AG. ISBN   9780810375789.
  2. 1 2 "Elizabeth Martinez Faculty Profile". ischoolapps.sjsu.edu. Retrieved 2016-10-24.
  3. 1 2 3 "Woman thanked for turning Salinas library around" . Retrieved 2016-10-24.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Anonymous (2013-03-14). "The American Library Association honors Elizabeth Martinez with the 2013 Equality Award". News and Press Center. Retrieved 2016-11-07.
  5. ↑ "Elizabeth Martinez Faculty Profile". ischoolapps.sjsu.edu. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
  6. ↑ "Library Commission - New Mexico State Library". www.nmstatelibrary.org. Retrieved 2016-11-02.
  7. ↑ www.timberlakepublishing.com, Timberlake Membership Software, 703-591-4232. "REFORMA: The National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking". www.reforma.org. Retrieved 2016-11-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ↑ Elizabeth Irene Martinez, Jaguar in the Library. The Story of the First Chicana Librarian. Floricanto Press Hispanic Latino Books, 2020.
  9. ↑ "CALIFORNIA LIBRARY HALL OF FAME: ELIZABETH MARTINEZ". California Library Association.
  10. ↑ "Scholarships". REFORMA Los Angeles. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  11. ↑ www.ischool.pitt.edu http://www.ischool.pitt.edu/alumni/documents/SISLink4.pdf . Retrieved 2022-11-07.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. ↑ "Las Primeras". MANA National. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.