The Multicultural Library: How Librarians are Responding to the Needs of Multiethnic Communities
- Date: 2007-06-05 - Word Count: 551
Share This!
As the United States has become increasingly diverse, more and more librarians are responding to the needs of their ethnic patrons.
According to 2005 Census data, over 12% of the US population is now foreign born and about 1 in 5 residents age 5 and older speak a language other than English at home. These figures are expected to increase and are considerably higher in many areas of the country. Much of the ethnic community wants to maintain a connection with their heritage language and country, and many new immigrants are struggling with English.
Libraries throughout the country have implemented creative strategies to become centers of information and learning for the diverse community. Following is a list of innovative ways librarians are welcoming and attracting more ethnic patrons.
1. Presenting story times in various languages.
2. Offering newspapers in multiple languages.
3. Developing a collection of bilingual children's books for language learners and families trying to teach a heritage language to their children. Patron feedback has been especially great when librarians set aside a "bilingual book display area" instead of simply including the books in their stacks.
4. Sponsoring/hosting English as a Second Language (ESL) classes or creating "literacy centers" which serve in part to help adults learn English.
5. Offering special programs such as citizenship classes or cultural programs that highlight important ethnic holidays (e.g. Chinese New Year, El Día de los Niños).
6. Displaying colorful multilingual posters and putting up signs in multiple languages.
7. Carrying books that promote an acceptance of diversity, have multicultural themes and include illustrations of ethnically diverse characters.
8. Accepting alternative forms of ID (such as a Matricula Consular from Mexico) and address verifications such as utility bills and rent receipts in order to increase access to the library. REFORMA, a national network of library organizations dedicated to promoting library services to the Spanish speaking communities, suggests that this will help ensure that libraries serve the community regardless of a patron's legal status.
9. Hiring staff that speaks the language(s) of the immigrant communities (another recommendation by REFORMA).
For librarians who are in the beginning stages of developing their programs and collections for ethnic patrons and language learners, here are a few recommendations to get started:
- Look up census data to determine which languages your library should support. The Modern Language Association offers a Language Map where users can find the number of speakers of each foreign language by zip code, city, county or state (http://www.mla.org/map_main). The information is also available directly from http://www.census.gov.
- Conduct an informal (or formal) survey of patrons to find out which newspapers they would read and which language books are most in demand.
- Start with a small collection of children's books and display them in a bilingual or foreign language book area. This will stimulate interest and drive more patrons to share their own needs. It will also provide an opportunity to assess which books are checked out most.
- Post multilingual posters and/or signs to welcome all patrons.
- Ask around to see if there is a volunteer parent, board member or teacher who would be willing to conduct a bilingual or non-English story time.
Ethnic patrons truly appreciate when libraries increase their language holdings and offer services and programs to meet the needs of non-native-English speakers. Small, gradual steps to move forward in this area meet with great response and establish libraries as true centers of learning for the entire community.
According to 2005 Census data, over 12% of the US population is now foreign born and about 1 in 5 residents age 5 and older speak a language other than English at home. These figures are expected to increase and are considerably higher in many areas of the country. Much of the ethnic community wants to maintain a connection with their heritage language and country, and many new immigrants are struggling with English.
Libraries throughout the country have implemented creative strategies to become centers of information and learning for the diverse community. Following is a list of innovative ways librarians are welcoming and attracting more ethnic patrons.
1. Presenting story times in various languages.
2. Offering newspapers in multiple languages.
3. Developing a collection of bilingual children's books for language learners and families trying to teach a heritage language to their children. Patron feedback has been especially great when librarians set aside a "bilingual book display area" instead of simply including the books in their stacks.
4. Sponsoring/hosting English as a Second Language (ESL) classes or creating "literacy centers" which serve in part to help adults learn English.
5. Offering special programs such as citizenship classes or cultural programs that highlight important ethnic holidays (e.g. Chinese New Year, El Día de los Niños).
6. Displaying colorful multilingual posters and putting up signs in multiple languages.
7. Carrying books that promote an acceptance of diversity, have multicultural themes and include illustrations of ethnically diverse characters.
8. Accepting alternative forms of ID (such as a Matricula Consular from Mexico) and address verifications such as utility bills and rent receipts in order to increase access to the library. REFORMA, a national network of library organizations dedicated to promoting library services to the Spanish speaking communities, suggests that this will help ensure that libraries serve the community regardless of a patron's legal status.
9. Hiring staff that speaks the language(s) of the immigrant communities (another recommendation by REFORMA).
For librarians who are in the beginning stages of developing their programs and collections for ethnic patrons and language learners, here are a few recommendations to get started:
- Look up census data to determine which languages your library should support. The Modern Language Association offers a Language Map where users can find the number of speakers of each foreign language by zip code, city, county or state (http://www.mla.org/map_main). The information is also available directly from http://www.census.gov.
- Conduct an informal (or formal) survey of patrons to find out which newspapers they would read and which language books are most in demand.
- Start with a small collection of children's books and display them in a bilingual or foreign language book area. This will stimulate interest and drive more patrons to share their own needs. It will also provide an opportunity to assess which books are checked out most.
- Post multilingual posters and/or signs to welcome all patrons.
- Ask around to see if there is a volunteer parent, board member or teacher who would be willing to conduct a bilingual or non-English story time.
Ethnic patrons truly appreciate when libraries increase their language holdings and offer services and programs to meet the needs of non-native-English speakers. Small, gradual steps to move forward in this area meet with great response and establish libraries as true centers of learning for the entire community.
Related Tags: esl, diversity, bilingual, foreign language, library, libraries, multilingual, early language learning, librarian
Anneke Forzani is the President and Foundner of Language Lizard, LLC. Language Lizard offers bilingual children's books in over 40 languages, multicultural lesson plans, and a complimentary e-newsletter to help parents and teachers expose children to other languages and cultures. Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- How Hypnotherapy Can be Used on Children
Today Hypnosis can be termed as a branch of medicine which is quite unique, whereas in the past this - Confidence Workshops For Children
Every parent wants their children to be confident, happy, highly motivated and enthusiastic in order - Inspiring Children Using NLP
Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is one of the most successful therapies in psychology today. Init - Writing Term Papers
Students often tend to put off a written assignment, considering it to be a chore too formidable to - Naming In Term Paper
Give a descriptive name to each of your concept in the paper. Adhere using terms like "our approach" - Introduction Section of a Research Paper
Your introductions should not exceed more than two pages (typed, double spaced). See again the examp - Getting a Feedback of Your Term Paper is Important!
Get the feedback of your work! Finish your paper, having written it well in advance, so that you hav - The 1950's - Was Life Better?
Iconic TV shows like I Love Lucy, Dennis the Menace and My Three Sons seem to indicate that the 1950 - Online Classroom Systems Makes Home Schooling Even More Attractive
In the past it went without saying that you would send your kids to public schools. With public scho - 8 Helpful Tips For Surviving Military Basic Training
Getting through military basic training takes a lot perseverance. During this training it is best to
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Culinary Cooking Schools and What They Teach
Culinary cooking schools prepare you for a job in the culinary industry by providing you with the kn - How To Learn Spanish Quickly Without Moving To Spain
Learning Spanish is a popular pastime, as well as a serious goal for many individuals. Whether it's - How To Improve Your Life With An Accredited Online College Degree
With the information super highway raring full steam ahead, quality accredited online college degree - Online Bachelor Degree Programs Go Mainstream
The Internet has seen an explosion in online bachelor degree programs in the last five to ten years - Online Degree Program Just A Click Away
You want to go shopping, but your car is low on gas. You want to know your account balance, but do n - Online Paralegal Degree Will Open Doors
An online paralegal degree may offer the possibility of improving your chances in the legal professi - What West Point Military School Looks For In A Candidate
West Point is looking for well rounded young men and women who are good students, good athletes, and - The Importance of Effective Accounting Programs
In the past, small businesses like mom and pop stores were not required to maintain any sort of acco - California Schools Educators Retirement System And Lionstone Group Create Investment Fund
The California State Teachers' Retirement System (CSTRS) is the second largest public pension fund i - A Taste of China - Seattle Schools New Guest Teacher Shares Language and Culture of Her Native Hom
The Seattle schools have a new "guest" teacher. Zhu Dan arrived in the Seattle schools in January