Pat Mora launches Día 10th anniversary in San Antonio

Contacts:


Macey Morales/Larra Clark


ALA Media Relations


312-280-4393/5043
For Immediate Release


January 11, 2006

Pat Mora launches Día 10th anniversary in San Antonio



Pat Mora, noted children's author of "Doña Flor: A Tall Tale about a Giant Woman with a Big Heart," will help launch the 10th anniversary celebration of El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children's Day/Book Day), an annual literacy event traditionally celebrated on April 30th that celebrates children, books, languages and cultures.

The 10th anniversary celebration launch will take place at San Antonio Public Library's Central Library (600 Soledad St.) Saturday, January 21, 2006, at 6 p.m. The event is part of the American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting, which will bring more than 12,000 librarians, library staff, publishers and guests to San Antonio, January 20-25.

"Hooray for the dedicated librarians who daily share bookjoy with diverse families and then celebrate linking all children to books, languages and cultures on April 30th," Mora said. "Ten Día years. Amazing!"

Mora will join librarians from Broward County Public Library, who will discuss their work in incorporating Día into their annual book fair. Members of the REFORMA de Utah Chapter from Salt Lake City, the recipients of the 2005 Mora Award, also will share their work in building a culture of literacy in Salt Lake City. Staff from San Antonio Public Library will present their plans for the 2006 Día celebration.

A birthday cake and refreshments will mark the anniversary celebration following the program. Complimentary items such as bookmarks, stickers, buttons and magnets will be available to attendees. The event is free.


The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is the national center for Día.

Through a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, ALSC is working with other national organizations, such as REFORMA: the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking, to initiate communication and education efforts that promote Día to families across the United States. Librarians can join the effort by taking advantage of Día resources, including a list of bilingual children's books on the Web at
www.ala.org/dia.