Cinco Books, owned by ReDeFL member Jenny Lizarraga, has been hard at work on new ways to serve our library communities. A press release in English and Spanish detailing their expansion of services for libraries seeking a partner and supplier for their collection development and processing departments has just been released.
Clink links below to read the press release in either English or Spanish.
The Nominating Committee of REFORMA de Florida announce that Alma Ramos-McDermott has been elected as Vice-President/President-Elect of the Board of Directors.
María de Lurdy (Mari) Martinez Serrano has been elected as Secretary of the Board of Directors.
Congratulations to our newest members of the REFORMA de Florida Board of Directors. They will take office at the end of June 2025.
More details are in our 2025 Elections Press Release.
The 2025 FLA Conference is coming!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: REFORMA de Florida 2025 Pura Belpré Book Grant Committee
Submissions now open for REFORMA de Florida 2025 Pura Belpré Book Donation Grant
REFORMA de Florida announces its 2025 Book Donation Grant of Latinx children’s and YA books to a Florida library or organization serving Latinx youth. The grant consists of a donation of a collection of 150-200 children and YA books published in 2024, created by Latinx authors and illustrators portraying the Latino cultural experience in the lives of children. You do not have to be a member of REFORMA de Florida to apply.
Your application should explain how your Florida community will benefit from receiving the books, and include your name, email address, phone number, type of library, name of your library, your status as a REFORMA de Florida member (non-members are welcome to apply), and anything else you’d like the committee to know. The timeline for the 2025 Book Grant application is as follows:
To apply by the March 31st deadline, send proposals to: redeflpurabelprebookgrant@gmail.com
About the REFORMA de Florida Pura Belpré Book Donation Grant
Applicants submit proposals to qualify to win a collection of 150-200 books published in 2024 that were among titles submitted by publishers for consideration to the 2025 Pura Belpré Award Selection Committee.
Applicants may include public libraries, school libraries, and/or other institutions providing literacy-based family programs to Latino communities in Florida.
The deadline for submitting applications is March 31, 2025.
Saturday August 24, 2024
Former ReDeFL President Alicia K. Long drove down to North Miami from Tampa to personally deliver 100-200 Latinx children’s and YA titles to Edenia M. Hernandez at Lafe Allen Memorial Library in North Miami. Edenia is the 2024 winner of REFORMA de Florida’s Pura Belpré Book Donation Grant.
Alicia, along with ReDeFL’s current Vice-President/President-Elect Lucia Gonzalez, presented a delighted Edenia with the titles. More information about the presentation will be in our September newsletter. Congratulations to Edenia and the Lafe Allen Memorial Library!
REFORMA de Florida is excited to announce the winner of the 2024 REFORMA de Florida Pura Belpré Book Donation Grant, which aims to bring books created by Latinx authors and illustrators portraying the Latino cultural experience into the lives of children.
Congratulations to:
● Lafe Allen Memorial Library / Edenia M. Hernandez – North Miami Beach, FL
The winning submission was selected based on why the collection was needed by the institution and its community, how acquiring the collection would help the institution better serve the children and youth of their community, and the effectiveness of the institution’s plan to make the materials available in their community. Blind judging was instituted by Selection Committee members.
The Lafe Allen Memorial Library will receive 100-200 Latinx YA and children’s books to support the Latino cultural experience in the lives of children.
REFORMA de Florida thanks the 2024 Pura Belpré Book Donation Grant Selection Committee:
● Lucia M. Gonzalez: Vice-President/President-Elect of REFORMA de Florida; Library Consultant; Former Director of the North Miami Public Library.
● Isabel Castro: Treasurer of REFORMA de Florida, Assistant Director of the West Orange Public Library in West Orange, New Jersey.
● Alma Ramos-McDermott: Secretary of REFORMA de Florida, 5th-grade teacher at Avalon Elementary in Naples, Florida; Former School Librarian.
We thank everyone who applied for REFORMA de Florida’s 2024 Pura Belpré Book Donation Grant.
REFORMA de Florida is a chapter of REFORMA National. REFORMA is committed to supporting programming for Latino and Spanish-speaking communities. Through our Pura Belpré Book Donation Grant, we aim to support the Latino cultural experience in the lives of Florida’s children.
¡Felicidades a nuestra ganadora!
Miami, FL November 2023
REFORMA de FL President, Maria Vega, and Immediate Past President, Mari Martinez, joined the Miami Book Fair on Sunday, November 19, 2023 to moderate a panel with authors and illustrators of middle grade fantasy and spooky book for middle grades. titled: “Through the Looking Glass: Adventures in Alternate Universes” with authors Ryan Calejo, Angela Cervantes, Monica Magaña, and Justine Pucella Winans.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Pura Belpré Book Grant Committee
Submissions now open for Pura Belpré Book Donation Grant
REFORMA de Florida announces the creation of a book donation grant of Latinx children’s and YA books to a Florida library or organization serving Latinx youth that demonstrates how their community might benefit from receiving the books. The grant aims to bring books created by Latinx authors and illustrators portraying the Latino cultural experience into the lives of children. You do not have to be a member of REFORMA de Florida to apply.
Your application should explain how your Florida community will benefit from receiving the books, and include your name, email address, phone number, type of library, name of your library, your status as a REFORMA de Florida member (non-members are welcome to apply), and anything else you’d like the committee to know.
To apply by the August 15th deadline, send proposals to: redeflpurabelprebookgrant@gmail.com
About the REFORMA de Florida Book Donation Grant
Applicants submit proposals to qualify to win a collection of 100-200 books published in 2023, among titles submitted to the 2024 Pura Belpré Award Selection Committee. Applicants may include public libraries, school libraries, and/or other institutions providing literacy-based family programs to Latino communities in Florida.
The deadline for submitting applications is August 15, 2024.
Questions regarding the application process may be addressed to committee members Isabel Castro, Lucia M. Gonzalez or Alma Ramos-McDermott at redeflpurabelprebookgrant@gmail.com
About REFORMA de Florida
REFORMA de Florida is a chapter of REFORMA which actively seeks to promote the development of library collections to include Spanish-language and Latino oriented materials; the recruitment of more bilingual and bicultural library professionals and support staff; the development of library services and programs that meet the needs of the Latino community; the establishment of a national information and support network among individuals who share our goals; the education of the U.S. Latino population in regards to the availability and types of library services; and lobbying efforts to preserve existing library resource centers serving the interests of Latinos. REFORMA is an affiliate of the American Library Association (ALA).
To learn more about REFORMA de Florida visit https://reformadeflorida.org/
Grab your biggest bags because you’re going to need them! It’s that time of the year where we all meet at the Miami Book Fair (MBF). We’ll shop through the Street Fair, we’ll eat delicious food, we’ll enjoy amazing music, and we’ll meet incredible authors! Are you ready for all of these literacy and culture galore!!!???
This Fall membership social will be at the MBF on Sunday, November 19th. Details of the meeting time and location will be shared with members via email. You can connect with us via reformafl@gmail.com.
That Sunday, November 19th at 3:00 PM, REFORMA de FL’s president, Maria Vega and immediate past president, Mari Martinez Serrano will be moderating a middle-grade chapter book panel titled: “Through the Looking Glass: Adventures in Alternate Universes” with authors Ryan Calejo, Angela Cervantes, Monica Magaña, and Justine Pucella Winans.
We hope to see you there!
A special thank you to our partners:
REFORMA de Florida 