Congratulations to our Día Dynamos, individuals throughout the U.S. who for years have invested significant time and creative energy on Día and are outstanding resources for others working in similar positions. April 2011 is Día’s 15th Anniversary. By April 1, 2011, we will name 15 Día Dynamos. If you have someone you want us to know about, please send us an e-mail.

April 2011 Sara Howrey Lise Tewes	Sara Howrey Children's Librarian, Retired Kenton County Public Library (KY) Lise Tewes Children's Librarian Kenton County Public Library (KY) Double pleasure. As part of celebrating Día's 15th Anniversary, I've introduced you to 15 Día Dynamos here. Our grand finale is a Día Dynamo Duo: Sara Howrey and Lise Tewes. These modest women each wanted to decline the recognition to focus attention on her Día colleague and friend. Symbolically, however, they are shining examples not only of their personal commitment and innovative strategies, but they show us how Día leaders create a literacy legacy. What hope Sara gave me when I met her years ago in the Cincinnati/Northern KY area where I lived for a time. Sara was unstoppable in her determination to involve the public library in creating new partnerships. She also brought attention to Día within ALA nationally. Like all good Día leaders, she created a committee that she nurtured, so that when Sara retired, Lise was ready to bring her talents to assuming that leadership role. Día has grown thanks to these two amazing women who consistently teach and inspire me. ¡Gracias! Read our interview with Sara. Read our interview with Lise.
March 2011 Alma Ramos-McDermott	Alma Ramos-McDermott Media Specialist Pollard Middle School, Needham (MA) Alma Ramos-McDermott is our 14th Día Dynamo, the first who is a school librarian. It's exciting to honor a school librarian who's active in the American Association of School Librarians, (AASL) who has experienced the value of sharing Día, and who is leading the way to connect other school librarians with this family literacy initiative. I met Alma at a YALSA conference in New Mexico last year and was so impressed at her commitment to share bookjoy with all students. As she and I discussed, when working with Middle School students, some Día advocates say: El día de los jovenes y libros, Day of Young People and Books. Some middle schools create Día literacy activities for themselves and some promote literacy at a neighboring elementary school. I hope that we'll hear from many fine school librarians who like Alma want to incorporate Día's goals of linking all children to book, languages and cultures into their planning and to start an annual tradition of planning a culminating celebration with parents on or near April 30th. Gracias, Alma, for enriching Día's work with your enthusiasm. Read our interview with Alma.
February 2011 Mark Smith	Mark Smith   Administrator Riverside County Library System (CA) When I met Mark Smith at the Austin Public Library in 1997, he was Director of Communications at the Texas Library Association (TLA). Mark was organizing tapings for the PSA video for "Read for Your Life", a TLA media campaign. I believe Jeanette Larson was there and Pat Smith, TLA's dynamic Executive Director, who always supports me and Día. Mark has instinctively understood Día's importance and potential and has articulated his commitment within ALA. In California, Mark has been a catalyst for Día's growth state-wide, an administrator who invests in people and who works to connect America's diverse children to literacy. Gracias, Mark! Read our interview with Mark.
January 2011 Lydia Breiseth	Lydia Breiseth   Manager, Colorín Colorado, Learning Media Department, WETA I am so grateful for Lydia Breiseth, manager of Colorín Colorado, who has been a loyal and creative Día supporter for years. She's our only Dynamo who works in the world of media, and I'm hoping that she'll teach us all. In your communities and nationally, how do we form lasting partnerships with those in the TV, radio, Web, and print media spheres who can be Día advocates? I finally had the pleasure of meeting Lydia last fall. She'll soon post the interview that took place when we met. She's fabulous! Read our interview with Lydia.
December 2010 Joseph Rodriguez and nephew Pete Ezekiel Rodriguez.	R. Joseph Rodriguez, Ph.D.   Center for Teaching and Learning, The University of Texas at Austin About twenty years ago, when I was still living in El Paso, I received a letter from a boy in Houston asking if I would be his "poet friend." The boy, Joseph Rodriquez, now my cherished friend, included his photo. The first ten Día Dynamos are librarians, most working in public libraries. With Joseph, I introduce other equally committed dynamos who don't spend their days with library patrons. Joseph's doctorate is in education, and he works at the University of Texas at Austin on improving teaching effectiveness. In the years I've had the pleasure to know Joseph, he has been a creative advocate for diversity and for literacy, for bookjoy. His passion and planning consistently inspire me. Gracias, Joseph, for your commitment to Día. Read our interview with Joseph.
November 2010	Jeannette Larson Consultant, trainer, and writer formerly with the Austin Public Library (TX) How grateful I am to my friend Texas librarian Jeanette Larson who has been an active Día supporter from the beginning. The key word in that first sentence is “active.” Jeanette is a do-er. Long before I was that familiar with the Web, it was Jeanette who said, “We need to get Día on the Web, and we need a Día booklet.” What a gift to me and Día. As you’ll see in her answers, through the years, Jeanette has been helping Día grow, and now she has completed an ALA book, El día de los ninos/El día de los libros: Building a Culture of Literacy in Your Community Through Día. Gracias, Jeanette. Read our interview with Jeanette.
October 2010	Lucia Gonzalez Author, Storyteller, Librarian, 2010-11 President of REFORMA I feel so fortunate to be working on Día's 15th Anniversary plans with my friend Lucia Gonzalez during her year as REFORMA's President. As you'll read in her interview, Lucia has been a Día champion for years. She's not only a wonderful advocate but also a fine storyteller and author. Read our interview with Lucia.
September 2010	Meryle Leonard, Outreach Manager Community Engagement Department Charlotte Mecklenburg Library I have good memories of visiting NC schools in 2004 thanks to the Novello Book Festival sponsored by the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. When I returned to Novello in 2007, I had the pleasure of meeting gracious Meryle Leonard. Meryle quickly took an interest in Día and has been a champion ready to strengthen the celebration in Charlotte and also ready to share her ideas and commitment locally and in her region. Thanks, Meryle! Read our interview with Meryle.
August 2010	Elva Garza, Regional Operations Branch Manager Austin Public Library Meet Día Dynamo Elva Garza. I'd like to honor librarian Elva Garza for her faithful support of Día since its beginnings. Elva has advocated for Día on local, state and national levels, has planned celebrations, and has participated in conference programs that educate others and extend Día's reach. Read our interview with Elva.
July 2010	Oralia Garza de Cortes Latino Children's Literature Consultant Meet Día Dynamo Oralia Garza de Cortes - this month we honor Día’s madrina, godmother in Spanish, a person traditionally chosen because of her commitment to the well-being of a child. In 1996, minutes after I was first zapped by the Día idea, the Tucson REFORMA Chapter quickly volunteered to help. Soon after, my friend and literacy advocacy colleague, the respected Oralia Garza de Córtes, committed to connecting the Día concept to Reforma nationally. REFORMA, of course, became the first organization to partner with me in growing Día. Gracias, gracias, Oralia, for your commitment to Día nationally and internationally. Read our interview with Oralia.
June 2010	Rose Treviño, Librarian Meet Día Dynamo Rose Treviño. At the end of April, my friend Rose died. I’d met her years ago thanks to our mutual friend Oralia Garza de Cortés and thanks to ALA. Rose was an early supporter of Día and served on its National Advisory Committee at ALSC. A Texas librarian deeply committed to all children including the under-served, Rose promoted Día when she was head of children’s services at the San Antonio Public Library where she discovered bookjoy as a child, and later championed Día at the Houston Public Library. I believe it was Rose, who when she was on the ALSC Board, was a grand champion who encouraged the Board to offer to be Día’s national home. Read more about Rose.
April 2010	Laurina Cashin & Bobbie Combs We Love Children's Books Meet my web team Bobbie Combs and Laurina Cashin who help me with my site, blog and e-newsletter. Enthusiastic Día supporters, in 2010 they not only proposed the creative idea for having the first Díapalooza on my blog, they offered to donate their time to help make this venture a success. Read our interview with Laurina and Bobbie.
February 2010	Beatriz Pascual Wallace, Children's Librarian Seattle Public Library Meet Día Dynamo Beatriz Pascual Wallace, Children's Librarian at the Seattle Public Library. Beatriz served on REFORMA’s 2009 Mora Award Committee and is the 2010 committee chair and is doing an outstanding job. She took some time to answer questions for us. Read our interview with Beatriz.
December 2009	Ana Schmitt, LIBROS Group Multnomah County Library Meet Día Dynamo Ana Schmitt, Bilingual Outreach Specialist. In typical Ana style, she insisted on sharing this recognition with the LIBROS staff at Multnomah County Library, winners of the 2002 Mora Award. Ana and her colleagues are full of Día ideas they share generously. Thanks to Ana and the LIBROS team! Read our interview with Ana.
March 2009	Flo Trujillo, Youth Services Coordinator Farmington NM Public Library Meet our first Día Dynamo Flo Trujillo, Youth Services Coordinator at the Farmington Public Library (NM) and the state Afterschool Ambassador (an Afterschool Alliance program). Thanks, Flo! Read our interview with Flo.