The Librarians Association of the University of California, Los Angeles (LAUC-LA) has the honor and pleasure of granting Norma Corral its 2001 Librarian of the Year Award in recognition of exceptional contributions to diversity, librarianship and to the teaching and research missions of UCLA. Norma's nomination not only stood out because of her notable achievements but also for the broad-based support, documentation and accolades submitted by UCLA librarians and faculty, and regional and national library leaders.

Norma has long been an advocate of cultural diversity by incorporating a broad perspective in her teaching, bibliographic instruction, and collection development; by mentoring innumerable students; by actively recruiting people of culturally diverse backgrounds to the library profession, the UCLA library and information studies program and employment at the UCLA Library; and by challenging as well as engaging her colleagues to address these issues. Outside of the library her community outreach efforts have addressed the survival and literacy needs of low-income families.

Norma's role as a champion for diversity at the UCLA Library became apparent when she was appointed to the first Library Committee on Diversity (LCD) in October 1988. From the outset, she was instrumental in setting the focus of the Committee's agenda and mission to tackle issues of racism, discrimination, and exclusion. A quiet and reserved person by nature, Norma astounded many who knew her superficially by her passionate and outspoken comments and criticism of UCLA Library policies, procedures, and behavior that were unnecessary barriers to the employment of ethnic minorities in the Library. Though it was difficult for her to do so her deeply held convictions allowed her to speak forthrightly and with moral courage to challenge the status quo. Norma's tireless dedication in promoting diversity has been witnessed inside and outside the library community. Selected activities include:

• Co-Chair, Sí Se Puede: Cesar Chavez and His Legacy Exhibit (1995), including an opening reception featuring Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers, AFL-CIO
• Chair, Américo Paredes: His Legacy on Chicano Folklore (Fall 2001)
• Mentor and Committee Member, UCLA Graduate School of Library and Information Science/RFORMA Mentoring Partnership
• Co-Chair, Diversity Recruitment and Mentoring Committee, UCLA Department of Information Studies (1999-present)
• Mentor to students groups, such Raza Women and MEChA, and students in Chicano/a, Social Welfare and Latin American Studies
• Co-Chair of annual exhibit at Los Angeles Latino Book and Family Festival (1999-present) as a venue to promote reading, information literacy, libraries, and librarianship in the Latino community. Norma coordinated the resources available from REFORMA, UCLA Department of Information Studies, UCLA Library and local public library systems
• Treasurer, REFORMA- Los Angeles Chapter (1997-present)
• Annual Christmas Tamale Sale and Food Drive
• Adjunct faculty, team-teaching Latino History and Culture (IS 111C, Spring 2001) course at UCLA with Richard Chabran

In her professional responsibilities in building a reference collection and providing reference service, Norma is acutely aware of the changing nature of ethnic and social science scholarship as it becomes more multidisciplinary and focuses on new subjects that require information not found in traditional reference tools. Norma has gained the admiration of faculty and students whom she has assisted in tackling community and cross-disciplinary research.

In short, Norma's social consciousness guides her long-term dedication in fighting prejudice and inequity in librarianship and the community at-large. It is an honor to recognize Norma Corral's unwavering commitment to diversity and contributions to recruitment, reference, collection development, instruction, and mentoring not just at UCLA but also across the nation.

Committee on LAUC-LA Librarian of the Year Award, 2000-01
Anita Colby, Science & Engineering Library (Chair)
Ruby A. Bell-Gam, YRL Library
Clara M. Chu, Information Studies
Linda Maisner, Law Library

*Presentation of the award was made at the LAUC-LA Assembly on 19th April 2001.