Editor's Note: This article was originally published Jan. 11, 2022. The story was updated March 8, 2022, to include Yuliana’s American Dream chapter video in English and Spanish.
Yuliana Aceves, community programming librarian at the Arlington Public Library is a winner of this year’s I Love My Librarian Award. Recognized by the American Library Association (ALA) for her outreach and programming efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, Aceves was selected from more than 1,300 nominations from library users across the country.
Aceves’ programming efforts bring the library front and center to families in the Arlington area, notably those that are primarily Spanish-speaking. Among her many accomplishments, Aceves helped implement the “Stories to Our Children” program, which gives parents the opportunity to write and decorate books to give to their children; leads the “Little Art” program, which provides families with an opportunity to explore different art materials each week; and organized two new programs to encourage dietary wellness and address health concerns in the community.
In 2020, when the library space closed due to COVID-19, Aceves led live virtual programs each week on the library’s social media platforms to engage Spanish speakers. Her nominators note that her Spanish storytimes were the most popular of all the library’s children’s programs, writing, “She has truly been the face of the library for our system and has filmed hours of programs and videos to help us communicate to this audience.”
“Her commitment to community and bringing relevant programs to the community is amazing,” her nominators wrote. “She is truly a gem here in Arlington, and we love that our parents have someone like her as a resource to promote early literacy in the community.”
Aceves and this year’s nine other honorees will each receive a $5,000 cash prize, a $750 donation to their library, and complimentary registration to ALA’s LibLearnX. The virtual award ceremony will take place during the conference at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, and will be available to stream live at https://www.youtube.com/user/AmLibraryAssociation.
Since the award’s inception in 2008, library users have shared more than 20,000 nominations detailing how librarians have gone above and beyond to promote literacy, expand access to technology and support diversity and inclusion in their communities. Information regarding previous award winners can be found on the I Love My Librarian website at http://www.ilovelibraries.org/lovemylibrarian.
Carnegie Corporation of New York generously sponsors the I Love My Librarian Award. The New York Public Library also supports the award. ALA administers the award through its Communications and Marketing Office, which promotes the value of libraries and librarians.
About Carnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding. In keeping with this mandate, the Corporation's work focuses on the issues that Andrew Carnegie considered of paramount importance: education, international peace, and a strong democracy.
About The New York Public Library
The New York Public Library is a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With 92 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars, and has seen record numbers of attendance and circulation in recent years. The New York Public Library serves nearly 17 million patrons who come through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org. To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at nypl.org/support.
About the American Library Association
The American Library Association is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, the ALA has been the trusted voice of libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit ala.org.
Support Youth and Families, Coronavirus
News, Government, Library, Headlines