Dr. Arnulfo D. Trejo: Passing to Legend

The Trejo Foster Foundation and Institutes for Hispanic Library Education

Dr. Arnulfo D. Trejo was the well-spring of inspiration to Latino librarians for many decades and will continue as he passes to legend to mentor, support and encourage the development of library service to all people.

Dr.Trejo had brilliant insight into the need for a solid foundation to build the future. By 1971,as a founding member of REFORMA he had an impressive career and had held many library positions as administrator and professor. He had written many books that have contributed to the inclusion of Latinos in the mainstream of the profession-- Directory of Spanish-Speaking Librarians, Bibliografica Chicano, Seminario on Library and Information Services for the Spanish-Speaking, and The Chicanos: As We See Ourselves.

Dr. Trejo’s work at the University of Arizona to establish and develop a Title II Institute to educate Hispanic librarians gave us a legacy of leadership. His belief that education provides for an informed future was made manifest in his establishment of the Trejo Foster Foundation (TFF) for Hispanic Library Education. The TFF was formed as a “think-tank” to address issues concerning library and information science education. Under the aegis of the TFF Institutes on Hispanic Library Education have engaged the faculties of library and information studies throughout the nation in planning, preparation and implementation. Dr. Trejo’s astute recognition that he must ignite passion for service to the Spanish-speaking in all regions of the United States through the Institutes resulted in five Institutes that carried us into the new millennium.

· Status of Hispanic Library and Information Science; A National Institute for Educational Change. University of Arizona, School of Information Resources and Library Science. Tucson, Arizona. July 29-31, 1993.

· Latino Populations and the Public Library. University of Texas-Austin. Graduate School of Library and Information Science. Austin, Texas. November 12-15, 1995.

· Hispanic Leadership in Libraries. Rutgers University, School of Communications, Information, and Library Studies. New Jersey. August 8-10, 1997.

· Library Services to Youth of Hispanic Heritage. University of South Florida, School of Library and Information Science. Tampa, Florida. March 12-14, 1999.

· Bridging Borders: Building Hispanic Library Education and Services in a Global Perspective. University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Library and Information Studies and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, School of Information Studies. Madison, Wisconsin. July 20-22, 2001.

Dr. Trejo’s message inviting librarians to the Wisconsin Institute in 2001 was a clear and strong reminder that the work is far from done:

“According to the U.S. News and World Report (March 19, 2001): "The number of Hispanics here today is greater than the entire population of Canada." Yet the number of Hispanic librarians is less than two thousand. This includes librarians from Puerto Rico. The dire need of Latino Librarians is a national, serious problem.

This and related problems will be addressed at the 5th National Trejo Foster Institute of Hispanic Education. I personally wish to invite you to this event. You, meaning librarians, students and faculty in schools of library and information science as well as library assistants who are working in libraries with a large representation of Spanish-speaking patrons.

Favor de asistir a este evento, todas aquéllas personas que estén interesadas en la tarea de incrementar el número de bibliotecarios Latinos en este país. Vivimos en un país que está inundado de información; sin embargo, nuestra gente, sedienta de esa información, no tiene quien les informe en su idioma. Hagamos un esfuerzo especial para vernos en Madison, Wisconsin.”

— Gracias, Arnulfo Trejo, Presidente TFF

I had the honor and privilege to work with Dr. Trejo and Mrs. Ninfa Trejo on the 4^th Institute in Tampa. The event was one that transformed our School of Library and Information Science. Faculty and students who attended were changed in our thinking in ways that will inform our entire life work. The papers presented at the 4^th Institute resulted in the book, Library Services to Youth of Hispanic Heritage (McFarland & Company, Inc. 2000). In that volume Dr. Trejo chose to write about the education of the very young. In his article “For the Future: Reformita, A Gang for the New Millennium,” Dr. Trejo challenged us all:

“Aware of the conditions with which a Hispanic child finds himself or herself faced in school, educators—that includes librarians—must explore ways to help these children overcome the hurdles that prevent them from functioning successfully in mainstream America. First and foremost, teachers and librarians must encourage students to develop partnerships with books and libraries.” (Dr. Arnulfo D. Trejo in Library Services to Youth of Hispanic Heritage, p. 189).

Dr. Arnulfo D. Trejo cared deeply about education and libraries throughout his career. In the last decade of his life when he was well past the age that many have retired, he was tireless in his efforts to influence the librarians of our nation to be concerned and committed to serve those of Latino heritage. Dr. Trejo has now passed to legend and will be with us for all time. --Kathleen de la Peña McCook, REFORMA 2002 Arnulfo D. Trejo Librarian of the Year. Member of REFORMA and Past Member, Board of Directors. Distinguished University Professor, University of South Florida.