Library Honors Volunteers and Champions

The San Antonio Public Library Board of Trustees will honor library volunteers and the winners of the 2009 Library Champion Awards at a reception in their honor, Sunday, April 19, at 10 a.m. The Library Champion award recognizes individuals (not employed by the Library) and community organizations for their substantial involvement with the Library system, or who have contributed time, talent or resources that resulted in the enhancement of library service in San Antonio. The San Antonio Public Library Board of Trustees created the Library Champion Awards in 1996 to honor notable contributions to the Library system.
The 2009 Library Champion Award recipients are:

Frank Hernández: Memorial Branch Library volunteer who organized the branch youth chess club and sponsored the branch’s first chess tournament.

Grace Lorton: Thousand Oaks Branch Library volunteer who has served since the branch opened.

Roxane Wise: Guerra Branch Library volunteer who is also a Citigroup employee; her volunteer hours entitle the branch to a $500 donation from Citigroup. Guerra received a donation for Ms. Wise’s work in 2007 and expects to receive a further donation in 2009.

Linda Nairn: Immediate Past President of the Friends of the San Antonio Public Library responsible for the formation of nine new branch Friends groups. She also has more than 700 volunteer hours serving at the Book Cellar Used Book Store.

Dan Parman: donor of land for the Stone Oak Branch Library.

Dr. Catherine Rainwater: President of Friends of Johnston Branch Library and long-time volunteer; initiated library service project for her Girl Scout troop.

Mary Spears: former library practicum student at Pan American Branch Library; now a Pan American Branch Library and Central Library volunteer who has amassed a total of 540 volunteer hours in two years despite working full-time.

Andrés Mendez Torres: 90-year-old Bazan Branch Library volunteer who conducts free guitar classes every Saturday. Mr. Torres has volunteered since 1996.

Also receiving awards will be the three Library volunteers who have amassed the most hours this year, Paula Parra (Central Circulation), Gary V. Martínez (Westfall Branch Library) and Thomas Cook (Central Texana/Genealogy).