2024 CALA Distinguished Service Award Recipient

Dear CALA Members:

The CALA Best Service Subcommittee is pleased to announce that Mrs. Wenli Gao, life member of CALA, an Associate Librarian and the Head of Collections Strategies and Services at the University of Houston Libraries, was selected as the recipient of the 2023-2024 CALA Distinguished Service Award!  

Mrs. Gao has committed to the growth and integrity of CALA as a strong ethnic professional association through her exceptional contributions and leadership in numerous capacities, such as President of CALA, Vice President of  CALA, Board Director, Chair of CALA Nomination Committee, Chair of Joint Conference of Librarians of Color (JCLC) Fundraising & Sponsorships Committee, Member of CALA Executive Committee, Co-Chair, CALA Conference Program Committee, 2020-2021,Co-Chair, CALA Membership Committee, 2019-2020,Co-Chair, CALA New Strategic Plan Task Force, 2019-2020, Co-Chair, CALA Conference Travel Award Committee, 2018-2019, Co-Chair, CALA Awards Committee, 2018-2019,President/ Vice-President, CALA Southwest Chapter.

Awards that she and the committees under her leadership have been received include:

• ·        Joint Conference of Librarians of Color (JCLC) Advocacy Award, 2023
• ·        CALA President Recognition Award for representing CALA at JCLC steering committee, 2023
• ·        CALA President Recognition Award for leading the New Strategic Plan Task Force, 2020
• ·        CALA President Recognition Award for exceptional work in being chair of several committees, 2019
• ·        CALA President Recognition Award for chairing the Assessment and Evaluation Committee, 2018