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South Texas District's Biblioteca Las Americas Receives Award

Posted on: Sunday, 23 April 2006, 15:00 CDT

By Allen Essex, Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, Texas

Apr. 22--MERCEDES -- It isn't every day that a library finds itself in the national spotlight, but Biblioteca Las Americas at South Texas Independent School District has done just that.

The American Association of School Librarians has selected Biblioteca Las Americas for the National School Library Media Program of the Year 2006 award, said Lead Librarian Lucy Hansen and Librarian Sara Reibman.

The AASL is a division of the American Library Association, Hansen said.

"They actually give three awards each year, one is to a school district, and two are to single schools," she said.

"Ours is one of the single school awards. We don't know who the other (winning) schools are."

Housed in an attractive 34,000-square-foot building, Biblioteca Las Americas, which opened in 1998, is really a college-level library that's packed with the latest technology, Hansen and Reibman said.

But the award isn't for the building, it's for the collection of 40,000 books, 5,000 videotapes and DVDs, computers and other equipment, they said.

The award also took into consideration the library's programs, some of which are in cooperation with Rio Grande Valley colleges and universities, as well as with schools such as Rice University in Houston, Reibman said.

"We have a program with the Regional Academic Health Center."

Library staff members work with teachers at Med High and the Science Academy to tailor the materials they have available to each course curriculum, she said.

The library is a classroom in itself, the two librarians said.

Students can learn patent searching, video editing, Photoshop, Web design, literary criticism and other skills through library training programs, they said.

"This is the highest award that a school library can receive," Hansen said. A $10,000 cash prize accompanies the award, which will be presented June 26 at an American Library Association conference in New Orleans that will be attended by 20,000 librarians.

Caroline Kennedy, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and TV newsman Anderson Cooper are scheduled to participate, Reibman said.

Librarians will ask for student input on how to spend the $10,000, Hansen and Reibman said.

Between 1,000 and 1,500 people use the library each day, the librarians said. Anyone may use the library.

The library has lecture halls, conference rooms and many types of special equipment, the librarians said.

Although STISD is a "magnet school" district that attracts high-achieving students from across the Rio Grande Valley, it competes with all other public school districts for library awards, Hansen said.

Unlike some prestigious schools, entrance to Med High and The Science Academy is based only on ability, Hansen said.

"We're a public school, no tuition, with open enrollment," she said. "Anyone can apply and what they will find is a challenging curriculum focused either on health science or science at these two schools."

STISD also has BETA, or Business Education Technology Academy, in Edinburg (formerly called the Teacher Academy) and Med Tech, or South Texas Academy for Medical Technology, in San Benito, Hansen said.

STISD's student body is a cross section of students from all ethnic groups and income levels, Hansen said.

"It offers the standard four-year high school curriculum," she said. "But the courses are challenging. We do offer advanced placement courses and students can earn college credit and the focus is on academics."

FYI

For information or to contact Biblioteca Las Americas at 100 Med High Drive, Mercedes, call 956-565-2454 or 956-514-4268 or email: bla:.stisd.net or askbla@stisd.net

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Copyright (c) 2006, Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, Texas

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Source: Valley Morning Star (Harlingen, Texas)

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