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Rebeca Rubio, the coordinator of library and information services at Richmond School District, is a 2022 recipient of the Angela Thacker Memorial Award.

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Richmond School District library coordinator wins national award

By Hannah Scott

Published 3:38 PDT, Fri October 14, 2022

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Rebeca Rubio, the Richmond School District’s coordinator of library and information services, has been recognized with a national library award from Canadian School Libraries.

The Angela Thacker Memorial Award was established in 2001 to honour Angela Thacker, a teacher-librarian and library coordinator who served the Association for Teacher-Librarianship in Canada (ATLC) and the Canada School Library Association (CSLA) in many capacities. The award honours teacher-librarians who have made contributions to the profession through publications, productions, or professional development activities that are relevant to teacher-librarianship or school library learning commons.

Rubio was humbled and honoured to learn she was one of four recipients this year.

“I have the opportunity to work with all K-12 schools, supporting their library programs, redesigning spaces, reimagining learning, mentoring new teacher-librarians, and supporting the acquisition of diverse, quality resources,” says Rubio.

Rubio coordinates, plans, and executes an annual district conference for all 50 teacher-librarians in Richmond School District. She manages the District Resource Centre, which creates kits to support equity and diversity. The resource centre has a robust Indigenous collection, and Rubio is currently working on Righting Canada’s Wrongs, a book series focused on topics like Japanese internment and residential schools.

Rubio brought diversity audits to the Richmond School District, and now this process is written into the district’s strategic plan. She also helps create flexible learning spaces, using libraries and labs, in schools undergoing seismic upgrades.

“Diversity, equity, and inclusion have been a focal point in my work for these past few years, and that is what I am being recognized for. I am working closely with teacher-librarians to create diverse, equitable collections that include all learners and all identities. Equity work is at the heart of all library programming and is essential for building community and (to) create safe spaces for all students. Libraries are truly becoming the hub of the school.”

Rubio says libraries are in a time of growth and transformation, with a shift from referring to spaces as libraries to becoming library learning commons.

“Library learning commons (LLCs) are democratic places where all students are represented, and where they have access to new and innovative technologies. Our redesigned, flexible LLCs invite inquiry and collaboration,” says Rubio. “I am excited to be part of this journey in Richmond School District.”

For more information on Rubio and the other Angela Thacker Memorial Award recipients, visit canadianschoollibraries.ca/angela-thacker-memorial-award-2022-recipients/.