NYC librarian swims to raise funds for Spectrum and honors librarians George and Deborah Trepp

For Immediate Release
Tue, 08/05/2014

Contact:

Gwendolyn Prellwitz

Assistant Director

Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services

gprellwitz@ala.org

CHICAGO — Miriam Tuliao, assistant director of selection at BookOps, announced that she will participate in the Annual Lake Erie Open Water Classic to raise funds for the Spectrum Scholarship Program.  The one-mile event will be taking place in Cleveland on Aug. 10, 2014.

Tuliao is a United States masters swimmer who has participated in several long-distance open water events, including the Big Shoulders 5K Swim in Chicago in September 2007. Tuliao completed the New Jersey State Triathlon in 2008 and the 5.85-mile Little Red Lighthouse swim in 2009, both times raising funds for the ALA Spectrum Scholarship Program. Tuliao has also participated in two United States Masters Swimming two-mile Cable Open Water National Championships in support of the Spectrum Presidential Initiative. She raised funds for Spectrum through swimming a 1.2-K race around the Statue of Liberty in memory of Mrs. Ann Bianchini in 2012 and swam the 2013 IGLA Championship Open Water Swim in memory of Elizabeth A. Blatz and Carol Small.  Tuliao is delighted to continue her annual tradition of raising funds for the Spectrum Scholarship Program while honoring the memory of librarians who have contributed to their communities.

“I will be swimming in honor of two dynamic librarians, George and Deborah Trepp. George Trepp is the director of the Long Beach (N.Y.) Public Library. Deborah Trepp was formerly the associate director of collections and circulation operations at The New York Public Library. As energetic and compassionate leaders, they remind us of the pleasure and privilege of serving New York's communities,” Tuliao said.

The Spectrum program funds scholarships through its endowment and the generous support of individuals and organizations.  Tuliao’s fundraising efforts on behalf of Spectrum are one example of how individuals can maximize their gift while highlighting diversity within the profession. 

Spectrum recruits and provides scholarships to American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students to assist them with obtaining a graduate degree and leadership positions within the profession and our organization.  Our aim is to increase the number of racially and ethnically diverse professionals in the field of library and information science to best position libraries at the core of today’s culturally diverse communities. To learn more about the Spectrum Scholarship Program, please visit www.ala.org/spectrum. Contributions can be made online at www.ala.org/giveala or by mailing checks payable to ALA Spectrum to the ALA Development Office, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago IL, 60611.  Please indicate “Tuliao fundraiser” in the memo if you’d like to support Miriam’s 2014 swim!