Gretchen Wronka Wins Sandy Berman Social Responsibility Award 2001

July 10, 2002

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Maria Menedez de Moschel,a member of the Support Staff at the
Southdale-Hennepin County Library system, has been awarded the 2002 Sandy
Berman Social Responsibility Award for her commitment and outreach to the
Latino community.

The award was created to honor Sanford Berman, who served as head
cataloger at the Hennepin County Library system for 26 years. It is
presented annually by AFSCME Locals 2864 (librarians) and 2822 (associate
librarians and support staff) to an employee who has made a unique and
valuable contribution to humanity through his/her work in HCL.

When a grant made it possible to reach out to Richfield,Minnesota's,
growing Latino community, "Maria instilled wisdom, and was the
heart and voice in the planning and execution" of the grant, often working
evenings and weekends to distribute information about the library and to
make connections in the Latino business community.

"She recognized needs, identified community resources and created an
up-to-date list of agencies prepared to work directly and effectively with the
immigrant population. She reviewed materials already in HCL, explored the
easiest access to those materials using the Library's catalog, and checked
both online and print catalogs to enhance and expand the collection."

Although the grant program'has ended, Maria continues (on her own time)
to communicate with Latino organizations and individuals to stay current
regarding issues in the community. With her supervisor's approval, she
has visited the Legal Aid Society to discuss the resolution of business issues
that concern the immigrant community.

She has also developed a list of referrals for victims of illegal business,
practices, and is ever available at the library to act as interpreter for
Spanish-speaking patrons. In the words of a colleague who nominated her:
"Maria embodies the spirit and expertise that opens the door and makes
library services available and understandable to new residents."


(Call Jan DeSirey at 952-847-5909 for more information.)
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