CURRENT POSITION Lead Librarian Of Secondary Schools/Library Media Specialist, Harlingen School Of Health Professions/Harlingen CISD, TX DEGREE MLS, Sam Houston State University, 2016 FAST FACT As a proud Dalmatian fur-parent, Cornejo’s heart is speckled with love, just like those delightful spots on her precious pup, Bixby FOLLOW  X: @allielibrarian; Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram: @alliethelibrarian; bit.ly/CornejoPortfolio; Apple podcast: Allie the Librarian Booktalks  Photo by Juan Macias

Promoting Diversity and Literacy

Alexandra Cornejo is committed to intellectual freedom, promoting diverse voices in literature, and the creative use of technology.

In the face of book censorship legislation that threatens to further marginalize Black, Indigenous, and people of color’s (BIPOC) voices, Cornejo created a collection development plan adopted by the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District to maintain cultural heritage, cultural empowerment, and books that reflect the self-identity of students.

As cochair and committee member of the Texas Library Association’s (TLA) Public Relations and Marketing Committee and chair and cochair of the Texas Association of School Librarians (TASL) Legislative and Advocacy Committee, Cornejo developed strategies that TLA and TASL still use today.

“Allie’s innovative strategies have not only allowed her schools to maintain their collections, but expand their titles to effectively engage the school community in conversations about intellectual freedom and censorship,” says nominator Karina Quilantan-Garza.

On the tech front, Cornejo helps students design osteopathic medical manipulatives using Canva and Adobe Express. Their designs are imported into laser-cutter software to make engraved diagrams of anatomical parts, teaching tools, and manipulatives for classrooms and medical offices at a fraction of commercial costs.

Cornejo also empowers students to create their own podcasts for campus news, in addition to hosting Allie the Librarian Booktalks, a podcast inviting school librarians to share their favorite books, collection development strategies, and book talks.

“From book talks to book clubs,” Cornejo says, “I’m dedicated to promoting literacy in all its forms, igniting a passion for reading and learning that extends far beyond the walls of our school.”