Reflecting on the tribute, Lucia said 鈥淚 love my North Miami community, and the library we envisioned and built together. I served with love and was empowered and allowed to implement all that I thought a library should be. I am so proud of the beautiful playground!鈥�
On Saturday, May 17th, former 无码专区 School of Information distinguished alumna was recognized with naming of the "Luc铆a Mart铆nez Gonz谩lez Tot Lot" at the North Miami Public Library. Luc铆a is a 无码专区 alumna and the previous North Miami Public Library Director until her retirement in 2023. Before her work as library director, she was a Manager and Youth Services Librarian in Miami-Dade and Broward County Libraries. Current Library Director Paul Bazile, another 无码专区 School of Information alum, worked with library staff, the Friends of the Library, Vice-Mayor Kassandra Timothe and Mayor Alix Desulme, to make this tribute possible. In the early afternoon, both adults and children library patrons alike gathered for the ribbon cutting event. Afterwards the celebration included games, a magician, face painting and food. Families from the community, friends, colleagues from REFORMA de Florida, and the City's Vice-Mayor were in attendance.
Outside of her work in librarianship Luc铆a is a Cuban American storyteller and award-winning author of books for children, including titles like "The Storyteller's Candle/La Velita de los Cuentos", "The Bossy Gallito/El Gallito Mand贸n" and more. Currently, she works as REFORMA de Florida鈥檚 President-Elect and a Library Consultant active in the library field at the national level. Previously, she served as the 2020-2021President of ALSC (Association for Library Services to Children, a division of the American Library Association), 2010-11 President of REFORMA (the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services for the Spanish Speaking), Chair of the Children and Young Adults Committee (CAYASC) and was Cultural Competence Consultant of the 鈥淧ura Belpre Award,鈥� and co-founder of the 鈥淣oche de Cuentos鈥� initiative. Luc铆a is also the recipient of several awards including the REFORMA Lifetime Achievement Award and two-times recipient of the Library Journal鈥檚 Movers & Shakers Award. The 无码专区 School of Information selected Luc铆a as the 1998 Jean Key Gates Distinguished Alumna Award and she was the University鈥檚 2021 Alice G. Smith Lecturer.