 Good good evening. We're getting ready to start the program at this time. Actually, we are going to start the program at this time I'll start by extending to you a very warm welcome and I would like to introduce myself at this time I'm Ramiro Salazar director of the San Antonio Public Library system And it's a great pleasure for me to welcome you here to this very special event this evening So this evening we will we will be honoring 13 very very special leaders and advocate advocates Of the San Antonio Public Library They will be receiving the Ella Award which stands for exceptional library leaders and advocates This is the third year for the San Antonio Public Library to be presenting the award It's actually presented by the San Antonio Public Library Board of Trustees Before we begin there's a few housekeeping items that I would like to share with you First of all if you parked in the parking garage Before you leave you need to validate your your parking And you can validate it as you go out the library versus circulation desk to the right We have a little apparatus there that you can use to validate your parking ticket. So don't forget to do that, please And if you need assistance we have staff Available so at this time I would like to recognize special guests that are here with us today We have Linda Nairn who's the vice chair of the Library Board of Trustees and she's part of the program I will invite her to the podium shortly We also have Jean Brady who's the immediate past chair. There's Jean and represents district one Jean is also the chair of the Public Relations Committee of the Library Board of Trustees who work with staff to create this award to honor Advocates and leaders of the library We have another board member is Joanne Harris whose trustee and represents district two. Thank you for being here, Ms. Harris Andrea Sanchez also a member of the Library Board of Trustees who represents district four welcome Marcy ends Representing district nine on the Library Board of Trustees We also have Lily Gonzales the executive director of the San Antonio Book Festival. Welcome Lily Beth Graham president of the Friends of the San Antonio Public Library Beth welcome Brianna Kirk Simmons she she recently married congratulations Brianna. Where are you there you are? Who is the event the special projects executive for the San Antonio Public Library Foundation? We're CEO and president for the foundation Tracy Bennett couldn't be here this evening So Brianna is here representing the foundation. So welcome. We also have Tony Hernandez Serna representing congressman Joaquin Castro Welcome so Those housekeeping items out of the way. I would like to again share with you that this is a very special evening and The Ella award was created again to again to recognize Very special individuals that work hard on behalf of the San Antonio Public Library in various capacities And you will learn more about the their contributions and why they were selected for this award We're thankful that we have Mike Garofalo who will be the master ceremonies He will be officially Introduced by Linda Nair shortly, but I got to know Mike earlier today and I found out that we have a connection He knows Doreal. That's my hometown His wife is from Doreal. So we have a nice chat this afternoon. So it's kind of nice to know of that connection They're not many folks that I know here in San Antonio from Doreal. So anytime I know someone I meet someone I make a big thing out of it. So at this time, I would like to oh before I forget. So after the program There will be a reception in the gallery. So I want to invite you all to join us All of us in the awardees For a very nice reception in the gallery. So at this time It's my honor and pleasure to invite to the podium our vice chair of the Library Board of Trustees Linda Nair. Linda Thank You Romero I'm happy to be here on behalf of the San Antonio Public Library's Board of Trustees and honoring today's award recipients the San Antonio Public Library Board of Trustees and Created the Ella Awards and if you'll notice up here it has it written down its exceptional Library leaders and advocates. So that's what that stands for. I had to look it up Okay, it created the Ella Awards in 1996 Originally, it was known as the Library Champions Awards and we honored notable contributions to the library system Because the library staff is very capable, but it's nice to have help from their friends These awards recognize individuals and community organizations for their substantial involvement with the library system Those who have contributed time talent and or resources that have resulted in the enhancement of the library services in San Antonio Nominations for Ella Awards can be submitted by anyone in the community and are then Evalued by the Public Relations Committee of the Library Board So thank you to this year's nominators for recognizing the contributions of our honorees and for putting their names forward to the committee Congratulations also to everyone here tonight who is receiving this prestigious honor It's really we're really glad to have you here at this time I'd like to invite Mike Garifola to present and recognize this year's Ella Award honorees Thank you, Linda. I grew up in a small town in New Jersey About a mile square maybe a little bit more about 10,000 people and I just One of the nice things I remember about my childhood is my mom always bringing my brother and I down to the library and To that I know exactly where the children's reading room is the library is not very big as you can imagine But at least once a week when we're little kids We always went down there and then once I started riding my bicycle I'd ride my bike down to the library so library a library and that library have played a Significant role in where I am today and I'm Mike Garifola. I'm very pleased to be here with the Ella Awards and presenting them Libraries as you can imagine serve a tremendous role in our community and I'm honored to be among this crowd of exceptional library leaders and Advocates so sit back relax We're gonna get this show going just a little bit about how this is gonna flow I'm gonna share a little bit about each nominee and then honorees I will call to the front We will have Ms. Linda Nairn vice chair of the library board and Jean Brady former chair and PR committee chair of the board Here to hand you lovely wards and then there'll be a quick photo and our team member over to the side Which is to your left my right will lead you off stage sound. Okay. Let's get going. Okay. Our first Ella Award honoree is Katie Flato Katie is being honored Her role as founder of the San Antonio Book Festival a key partner of the San Antonio Public Library The book festival which celebrates its seventh year this past April is the city's top event for Celebrating literature books and authors who create them the free public event hosts 90 authors each year We speak from venues located across the grounds of the Central Library and Southwest School of Art The event now draws listen to this more than 20,000 attendees every year. That's impressive The book festival has elevated the importance of reading literature and libraries and has brought significant publicity to the San Antonio Public Library through the years So thank you to Katie for her significant role in bringing this incredible event to San Antonio And partnering with the San Antonio Public Library to offer this to the community And Katie is currently out of the country and not able to join us tonight Accepting the award on her behalf is Lily Gonzalez executive director of the San Antonio Book Festival Lily, please come to the front to the accept the award, please Let's have a round of applause For Katie Flato and the San Antonio Book Festival There we go. I'm sorry about 20,000 attendees per year is incredible Thank you And our next Honoree is Pauline Larkin. Pauline is one of the most dependable volunteers at the Great Northwest Library She plays a key role in organizing library materials at a high circulation branch by shelving items and filling customers orders for Holds and the circulating collection. She is also a significant contributor to the children's programming at Great Northwest Library In fact, she recently performed a at singing and storytelling program to a crowd over over 100 kids That's impressive Pauline is a true example of how volunteers can impact libraries and create memorable experiences to those who serve Thank you to Pauline and please come forward to accept this award Please join me in giving a round of applause for Pauline Larkin All right, our next Ella award is in honor of the lateness Gloria Malone Miss Malone served as a library board of trustee for 18 years She was an integral in bringing the Pruitt branch library at Roosevelt High School and Shaper branch library to district two This district where she lived and volunteered her time as a tireless advocate to the importance of libraries During her tenure, Miss Malone contributed to launching 11 new library locations across the library system As well as transitioning the system to a seven day a week service and increase the budget by 126 Miss Malone contributed her leadership to the library board of trustees by serving in the position of vice chair and treasurer on the executive committee Giving generously of her time to advance the library's mission Her contributions to the library and the san antonio community will forever be remembered through the lives of individuals Children and families who benefit fit from the library resources as well as services Let's pause right now for a moment of reflection in honor of Gloria Malone We now have the pleasure of this evening by being joined by many of miss malone's family and friends Thank you for being here Mr. Joe Malone if you would please come up to accept this award. We'd appreciate that Please join me in a round of applause and appreciation from miss Malone Our next Ella award honoree is linda marquez Linda is one of the most dedicated volunteers at the johnston branch library She is a retired teacher who volunteers her time to the johnston branch for whatever they need Whether it's executing a special event such as a day of the dead celebration Or delivering interactive and engaging programs for children as well as teens Linda has dressed up as dr Seuss and taught teens to make corsages as well as everything in between The johnston staff especially appreciates how linda brings positivity And inspiration to the team and reminds everyone about the important work of the library staff in the community Thank you to linda for her leadership her time and her dedication. Please come to the front to accept your award Thank you linda And our next Ella award honoree. They are sally and ruben rendon Sally and ruben rendon's passion for the san antonio public library has been demonstrated throughout the years The rendon's have dedicated their lives to public service and helping communities including libraries across the west side and south side The neighborhoods that they grew up in and hold dear to their hearts It was 15 years ago that they founded the los palmas branch library book club Which is now one of the longest running book clubs in the library's history And they believe wisdom and strength can be found through the resources and programs of the library Which is their daily inspiration And they were act they are actively involved in a social media throughout community centers such as the y wba and good samaritan center Where they regularly share information about library programs and services and thank you to sally and ruben rendon For serving as champions of libraries. Please come to the front to accept your awards Thank you so much Our next Ella award honoree is jeffrey sullivan jeffrey sullivan and his team have presented dozens of programs of the supernatural kind throughout multiple san antonio public library locations for the past 10 years That's right. And jeffrey is the founder of sixth sense paranormal It's a group dedicated to the investigation documentation and study of paranormal phenomena and activity He's also a professor for alamo community colleges and leads presentations on the findings of san antonio ghost There you go programs offered by jeffrey and sixth sense paranormal have provided new and unique learning opportunities for our community Thank you for jeffrey for his generosity and time and knowledge as well. Please come to the front to receive your award Thank you. Our next Ella award honoree is jordan vexler shannon Jordan has been actively involved with supporting the library for many years Both as a san antonio public library foundation member And a volunteer of her time and talents to various library initiatives as well as projects Her passion for the library led to her to serve as the san antonio public library foundation's board chair from 2017 through 2018 During her leadership as chair the foundation donated more than listened to this $1.8 million to the san antonio public library to use resources programs as well as events Pretty impressive Libraries have been central to jordan's personal journey from her first childhood memories fumbling through picture books to Endless hours studying in graduate school to taking her marriage vows at mission branch library Thank you to jordan for giving her time to help libraries and make a difference in the lives of so many people Please join us at the front to accept your award These are a group of exceptional local community members of the katrina ball 2018 co-chairs Thanks to the contributing efforts of amy garcia and seek lali herrera Salazar and heather derohas And the library central libraries transformed into a dia de los muertos street party With purpose to raise funds for the san antonio public library and specifically the latino collection and resource center The second annual katrina ball held in october of last year attracted more than 800 people dressed in full dia de los muertos fashions And was a well talked about and photographed event throughout the community and social media channels Raising the profile as well as the importance of the library Thank you to the successful event led by the katrina ball co-chairs The library foundation was able to gift $50 000 to the central libraries latino collection and resource center So a big thank you to amy seek lali and heather for their leadership and dedication to The library amy and heather are unable to be with us tonight, but seek lali. Please come forward and be honored. Thank you Thank you And our final elah award honorees are isabelle and castro and natasha hernandez founders of international give a comment feminist Saint susha Now if you're wondering what design is it's a self-published work of original text and images and to explain in the words of isabelle and natasha designs are Everyone's novels and newspaper a place to put what won't fit when we try to write it on a wall There you go That together they have carved a space for Latinx women to express their stories of identity religion gender as well as sexuality Isabelle and natasha partnered with the library in presenting the 2017 The san antonio design fest and additionally presented several design making workshops at the library inspiring others to create Their own avenues for expression now by collaborating with isabelle and natasha The library has been able to attract new customers introduce them to the latino collection and resource center and give voice to a New generation of authors and artists for historically marginalized communities Thank you to isabelle and natasha for dedicating their time and talent to this wonderful expression of creativity For library patrons. Please join us. Please join us. That is at the front to accept your award Thank you Now a very big congratulations to all of our award winners tonight What a wonderful variety of people who are giving of their unique and specialized talents to strengthen and promote the importance Of libraries and has been an honor to be your master of ceremonies this evening And you of course have been a wonderful audience Now at this time linda naren. We'll come back to the podium and share a few closing remarks Be half of the library group. I want to thank you for doing this for us And we need to I would be remiss if we didn't acknowledge that mike carefollow Mike is a well known And experienced journalist you might recognize him from local news Thank you. Thank you. And as a token of our appreciation, we have a gift for you And this is the official 300 years of san Antonio and bear county Thank you very much Also on behalf of the san taya public library and the board of trustees. I once again Congratulate each of tonight's award winners. Thank you for your contributions And at this time I invite everyone to stay and enjoy the reception And it's just in the room next door So I think you can go that way or you can go out through the hall and the door there And thank you so much for coming