Who We Are
A collective of Latinx library workers with a passion for creating culturally relevant early literacy library services. All of us worked together at Long Beach Public Library and have been collaborating ever since!
A celebration of the diverse Latinx/e culture is at the core of our approach to storytime. Bibiliocuentos was created out of a desire to make a library of bilingual storytime resources, starting with what we’ve collected or created ourselves. Some of the materials you’ll see here are originals songs, rhymes and other storytime material. Our hope is that we can collaborate with and gather resources here for the community of library professionals focused on bilingual and bicultural early literacy.
Luisa Leija
Luisa Leija is a librarian, writer, mother, and cultural worker whose work lives at the intersection of story, language, memory, and community care. Rooted in her Xicana identity and shaped by years of work in libraries, youth development, and public programming, Luisa is passionate about creating bilingual early literacy experiences that feel joyful, welcoming, and culturally alive.
Her storytime practice honors the whole child— their language, movement, curiosity, family, culture, and sense of belonging. She believes bilingual storytime is not just about translation; it is a movement around language(s), relationship, representation, and creating spaces where children and caregivers feel seen.
Luisa holds an MSLIS from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, an MFA in Writing from California College of the Arts, and a BA in Chicana/o Studies from UC Berkeley. She is an ALA Spectrum Scholar, a recipient of the REFORMA National Rose Treviño Scholarship, a CLA Begun Scholar, and a graduate of the California State Library CALL Academy Catalyst leadership program.
Through Bibliocuentos, Luisa collaborates on resources that support librarians, educators, caregivers, and community workers in offering bilingual storytimes that are accessible, playful, culturally thoughtful, and rooted in love.
Sheridan Jay Cazarez
Sheridan Jay Cazarez is a librarian in the Exploration & Creativity Department of the Los Angeles Public Library.
He earned his MSLIS at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is also a 2021-2022 ALA Spectrum Scholar, UIUC Katharine Sharp Scholar. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from California State University at Long Beach. His undergraduate work studied the cultures, histories, politics, and literatures of Spanish speaking America and the Iberian Peninsula, as well as basic translation and interpretation methods.
Interests include culturally competent service to Latinxs and Spanish speakers, biliteracy, digital engagement, merchandising in public libraries, and making libraries fun as well as educational. He’s presented on bilingual storytime methodologies at the REFORMA National Conference, Seguimos Creando Enlaces Conference, California Library Association Conference, and American Library Association Conference. Recently he’s also provided online bilingual storytime webinars with CALL Academy and PCI Webinars, as well as online courses on bilingual storytime with ALA eLearning and LibraryJuice Academy.
He’s served with REFORMA, on the Los Angeles Chapter and as Logistics Co-Chair for the NRC VIII Conference Committee.