[kids-lib] Congratulations to our 2026 Lampman winner!

[Holly Campbell-Polivka]

Delia Palomeque Morales has long been a champion of early literacy and early childhood education in Multnomah County, Oregon. As a Youth and Family Program Specialist with a bilingual Spanish job designation, Delia organized and delivered a program called Listos para el Kinder for 13 years. Listos specifically served Indigenous Latine children ages 4-6 who speak Indigenous languages and/or Spanish.

In designing Listos, Delia and the staff understood the academic gap that starts early for many Latine students in the educational systems, not only through statistical data but also through their own lived experiences. They knew that with the right tools, information, and support, Latine families in Multnomah County could see their little ones succeed not only in their first academic years, but beyond.

Delia offered families the hope and means for their children to reach high levels of academic achievement and independent thinking, and live to their full potential. This program connected thousands of children and their families who would otherwise have little or no access to quality early childhood education to culture-based instruction and community-building programs that emphasize the importance of early literacy, mathematics, science and parental involvement, while emphasizing heritage, language and culture.

In one independent evaluation, the Listos program was shown to triple school-readiness for participating children while simultaneously increasing their families' use of the library and long-term involvement in their children's learning.

In addition to Listos para el Kinder, Delia's compassionate and flexible leadership was instrumental in developing and launching the Bolsitas de Bienvenidos a la Lectura collection, all in the midst of the COVID quarantine! This collection helps young patrons learn to read in Spanish, from the beginning stages of reading to more complex levels. It helps families select books that meet their children's reading levels and interests while helping them build fluency, confidence and comprehension skills, as well as a love for reading. Delia and the Bolsitas de Bienvenidos team also developed additional Spanish-language kits that feature books on science, technology, art and mathematics to meet readers' interests and bolster academic success.

As if all that isn't enough, Delia led a revision of MCL's El Pequeño Libro de Rimas, a small book of rhymes and songs. She worked tirelessly with three colleagues to find culturally relevant rhymes, researched copyright and countries of origin, and worked with Caldecott Honor Award winner Molly Mendoza for culturally relevant art. Adding countries of origin was a new, intentional consideration. One storytime patron shared that she grew up with the rhyme "Pin Pon" and was thrilled to see Chile listed in the book, confirming a detail her mother had always insisted on.

In her current role as Library Cultural Events Specialist, Delia organizes eight large scale cultural events that celebrate and uplift the remarkable diversity of patrons in Multnomah County, creating a culture of inclusivity and belonging for children and their loved ones.

Over the years, Delia has built innumerable relationships with Spanish-speaking children, community members and educators, and is known as a trusted advocate and mediator for these families and their children, even long after they have begun school. She has been known to routinely connect patrons both with relevant library programs and services as well as with partner organizations and community resources - for example, helping enroll kids in summer camps, summer reading programs and after-school care; helping families evaluate schools and transfer to higher-quality school districts; connecting youth to scholarship resources; and helping first-generation college students identify and apply for financial aid.

Delia is not only exceptional at her work, she is a kind, warm-hearted individual who genuinely cares about people, and wants them to succeed. It is my honor to present Delia Palomeque Morales the 2026 Evelyn Sibley Lampman Award.

Holly Campbell-Polivka (she/her) | Youth Services Librarian
City of Tigard | Tigard Public Library
Direct: 503.718.2811 | Children's Desk: 503.718.2656
13500 SW Hall Blvd., Tigard, OR 97223 | www.tigard-or.gov/library<http://www.tigard-or.gov/library>
[City of Tigard Logo]<https://www.tigard-or.gov/>


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