Preliminary Program

    • Bibliopolítica: Documenting the History of the Chicano Studies Library

    • Engaging Undergraduate Statistics Students for Real-World Project Experience: Bringing Sound Statistical Theory to a Library Diversity Audit

    • Becoming the Next Academic Library Leader: Insights from Latine Administrators

    • Empowering Teens Through Peer-Led Language Learning: The Teen English Conversation Club

    • Tending to the Garden: A Workshop on Creating a Wellness Course and Support Network for Marginalized Staff

    • Más Allá de la Hora del Cuento: Música, Movimiento, Arte y Juego para Empoderar a la Comunidad Latina [Bilingual]

    • Together for Change: Fostering Health, Wellness and Sustainability in the Latino Community Through Library Programs

    • Empowering Spanish-Speaking Communities: Effective Library Outreach Solutions

    • ¡Ponte Las Pilas! Beyond Spanish Programming Basics. [Bilingual]

    • Shelf-Care: Wellness Strategies for Busy Librarians

    • Early History of REFORMA

    • OrgDev to the Rescue! Starting a new REFORMA Chapter? Bringing an existing chapter back to life?

Bilingual Sessions

¡Ponte Las Pilas! Beyond Spanish Programming Basics
with Ms. Leslie Ann Masland

ESL and citizenship are the basic needs of many of our Spanish speaking community members. What if basic needs was not the goal? Let's move the goal post beyond basic needs and survival to expand our approach as librarians to Spanish programming.  

Más Allá de la Hora del Cuento: Música, Movimiento, Arte y Juego para Empoderar a la Comunidad Latina
with Mrs. Socorro Pacheco

This interactive session explores how bilingual Spanish-English storytimes and dynamic programming—incorporating music, movement, process art, and play—enhance engagement and literacy among Latino families. Attendees will experience hands-on techniques and leave with actionable strategies to implement in their own communities, empowering families through culturally relevant, interactive library services. 

English Sessions

Early History of REFORMA
with Prof. John Ayala

An early history of REFORMA from the perspective of a founding member and from one of its founding Presidents.

Empowering Teens Through Peer-Led Language Learning: The Teen English Conversation Club
with Ms. Sydney Adam, Ms. Katherine Orellana, and Ms. Cristina Murillo

The Teen English Conversation Club provides a welcoming, teen-led space where non-native English-speaking high school students practice English in a conversational setting. Participants gain confidence in language skills while student leaders develop leadership experience. This session will explore the program’s structure, successes, and challenges, offering insights into how libraries or other institutions can create similar initiatives that empower Latino/x/é and Spanish-speaking teens.

Empowering Spanish-Speaking Communities: Effective Library Outreach Solutions
with Ms. Tatiana Ortiz Cordonero

Empowering Spanish-Speaking Communities: Effective Library Outreach Solutions explores how the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) Outreach department has empowered immigrant and Spanish-speaking communities through innovative outreach initiatives and strategic partnerships. By extending services beyond the physical library, prioritizing language accessibility, and collaborating with local organizations, government agencies, and cultural centers, libraries can foster inclusion, enhance access to resources, and support social integration. This approach redefines library outreach as a transformative practice that nurtures both individual and collective growth within underserved communities.

Tending to the Garden: A Workshop on Creating a Wellness Course and Support Network for Marginalized Staff
with Ms. Daylily Alvarez

This interactive workshop will equip participants with practical strategies for creating a wellness course for B.I.P.O.C. staff. From research to working with staff development resources, we will discuss best practices for creating and facilitating a B.I.P.O.C. success and wellness course. Attendees will also learn about following up and following through to create safe spaces and a staff support network, creating a rough outline for creating their own course.

Bibliopolítica: Documenting the History of the Chicano Studies Library
with Ms. Lillian Castillo-Speed and Ms. Amanda Belantara

The Chicano Studies Library at UC Berkeley was home to one of the first Chicana/o/x collections. Founded in 1969, the Chicano Studies Library’s history is rooted in the Third World Liberation Front Strike at the UC Berkeley campus. The library staff not only created and curated the collections, but also developed a custom classification system and thesaurus to better describe materials for Chicana/o/x communities.

Shelf-Care: Wellness Strategies for Busy Librarians
with Mrs. Jenny Lizarraga

Librarians dedicate themselves to serving their communities, but how often do you prioritize your own well-being? This presentation explores practical wellness strategies to help librarians reduce stress, increase focus, and improve overall health in times of crisis. From simple mindfulness exercises and meditation techniques to yoga stretches that can be done at a desk, attendees will learn accessible ways to incorporate wellness into their daily routines. We’ll also discuss the role of proper nutrition and movement in sustaining energy and preventing burnout. Join me for a refreshing session that will provide tools to create a healthier, more balanced work-life experience.

OrgDev to the Rescue! Starting a new REFORMA Chapter? Bringing an existing chapter back to life?
with Ms. Sara Martinez and Mrs. Laura Tadena

One of the fundamental committees supporting REFORMA, the Organizational Development and New Chapters Committee (OrgDev) is vital to our organization’s ability to function effectively. Join us for a discussion about the committee and its mission to: aid in the creation and support of new chapters; enhance communication; streamline information between leadership, committees, chapters and members. Attendees will learn how OrgDev supports REFORMA, and how members can actively participate in REFORMA National or create a new chapter.

Engaging Undergraduate Statistics Students for Real-World Project Experience: Bringing Sound Statistical Theory to a Library Diversity Audit
with Ms. Kelsey Nordstrom-Sanchez and Mr. Jeff Corrigan

This presentation explores an innovative collaboration between academic libraries and statistics students to conduct a diversity audit of a physical monograph collection. Diversity audits are increasingly recognized as essential tools for assessing the inclusivity and equity of library collections. By partnering with a semester-long statistics course, this project provided students with real-world client experience, bridging the gap between academic theory and practical application.

Becoming the Next Academic Library Leader: Insights from Latine Administrators
with Dr. Romelia Salinas

Latine representation in academic library administration remains disproportionately low, yet Latine leaders play a crucial role in shaping the future of libraries, advocating for inclusive policies, and ensuring equitable access to information. This panel will feature experienced Latine academic library administrators from diverse institutional backgrounds - public universities, community colleges, and private non-profit institutions - who will share their journeys, challenges, and successes in leadership. Panelist will discuss navigating institutional structures, championing diversity, and fostering an inclusive environment for Latine and underrepresented students. They will also explore strategies for career growth, mentorship, professional development - essential tools for thriving in library leadership. Attendees will gain insights into pathways to leadership in academic libraries and actionable strategies for advancing their careers while staying true to their cultural identity and values.

Together for Change: Fostering Health, Wellness and Sustainability in the Latino Community Through Library Programs
with Mrs. Dana Lopez, Ms. Concepcion Flores, Ms. Vanessa Manzanarez and Ms. Victoria Perez

At Commerce Public Library, we actively promote health and wellness across all ages by offering a variety of engaging programs. Seniors benefit from the Calm Oasis, while adult participants explore nutrition through food tastings and wellness initiatives. Children enjoy refreshing green smoothies alongside STEM activities funded by our annual Lunch at the Library Summer Grant. Our teens engage in sustainability efforts, such as clothing swaps, while adults with disabilities participate in monthly craft sessions that foster skill development and creativity. Additionally, our community-wide programs, including food distribution and resource sharing, ensure inclusivity and lifelong learning for all residents.

Spanish Sessions

Creando comunidad a través de cuentos
con Srta. Nadia Rendon

Comencé un club de lectura semanal de cuentos cortos en español a principios de 2022. La falta de participación de hablantes de español como primer idioma ha llevado este programa a evolucionar de una manera que los niveles de español de los participantes es mixto: inmigrantes que hablan español como primer idioma, hijos de inmigrantes y nativos hispanohablantes que crecieron en los Estados Unidos y anglosajones que han estudiado español y quieren mejorarlo. Curiosamente, la mayoría de los participantes son adultos mayores (60). Por la consistencia de las reuniones en estos más de dos años, el grupo se ha convertido en un espacio en el que los participantes asisten no nada más a leer un cuento, discutirlo, o mejorar su español, sino a socializar y convivir para combatir la soledad y el aislamiento social.

De la invisibilidad a la acción: tejiendo puentes para transformar la experiencia latina, reforzar identidades y conectar diversidades
con Sra. Elizabeth Borges-Ocasio

Dos profesionales de bibliotecas públicas en Massachusetts comparten cómo han implementado servicios culturalmente relevantes para adultos latinos. Desde sus roles de liderazgo, han adoptado un enfoque activo que reconoce a la comunidad latina como capital social y cultural. Gracias a estas estrategias, la participación de la comunidad ha pasado de ser casi invisible a una más significativa e interactiva, contribuyendo también a la transformación de sus bibliotecas en instituciones culturalmente competentes.

Estructura y características de la nueva versión del estándar de catalogación RDA (RDA Toolkit Official) traducida al español
con Sr. Filiberto Martinez-Arellano

En esta ponencia se presentan la estructura y características esenciales de la versión en español de la nueva versión del estándar de catalogación RDA (Resource Description and Access), liberada en 2020 como RDA Toolkit Official, cuya traducción se efectuó entre un acuerdo entre ALA y la Asociación de Estados Iberoamericanos para el Desarrollo de las Bibliotecas Nacionales de Iberoamérica (ABINIA), la que se publicará en 2025, constituyendo una herramienta de gran utilidad para los catalogadores de habla hispana.

La conversación de la memoria de la comunidad del Chocó a través de su archivo fotográfico y fílmico (AFFC)
con Sr. Estiben Mosquera Palacios

Este trabajo analiza la conservación de la memoria de la comunidad del Chocó mediante su Archivo Fotográfico y Fílmico (AFFC). Se destaca la importancia de la preservación digital para garantizar la protección y accesibilidad continua de estos registros. La investigación incluye un enfoque cualitativo e identifica estrategias para la preservación del patrimonio documental digital, especialmente tras un ciberataque en 2021. Además, se exploran las prácticas y la gestión del AFFC y se propone un marco teórico basado en la teoría de varios autores renombrandos en la disciplina.

Libros y Acción: Bibliotecas Fomentando el Cuidado del Planeta
con Sra. Ana Ruiz Morillo

Las bibliotecas desempeñan un papel fundamental en la concienciación y acción ambiental a través de programas innovadores y literatura inspiradora. Este taller presentará experiencias exitosas de programas bibliotecarios que integran libros sobre acción climática y el cuidado del medio ambiente, motivando a las comunidades a participar activamente en la sostenibilidad. Los participantes explorarán estrategias creativas para utilizar la hora de cuentos como una herramienta para generar conversaciones sobre el cambio climático, la responsabilidad ecológica y soluciones comunitarias. A través de ejemplos reales, se compartirán actividades interactivas, colaboraciones y enfoques de divulgación que hacen que la educación ambiental sea accesible y significativa. Únete a esta sesión para descubrir cómo las bibliotecas pueden ser agentes de cambio en el compromiso ambiental, empoderando a personas de todas las edades a tomar medidas concretas para proteger nuestro planeta.