UI Current LIS Clips: ¿Habla español?

September 2003 - Compiled and annotated by Marianne Steadley

http://www.lis.uiuc.edu/clips/2005_03_print.html

In this issue:

Serving Diverse Populations: Public Libraries and the Spanish-Speaking Population.

1. The Changing Face of America
2. Providing Library Services en Español, Para Los Usuarios Quienes Hablan Español
3. Collection Development – Barriers and Strategies
4. Accessibility – If It's Not Accessible, It's Not Service-Oriented
5. Rural Libraries – Serving Minority Groups
6. The Invisible Population – Migrant Workers
7. Virtual Service – Urban Libraries and Bilingual Web Sites
8. Spotlight on GSLIS – Paseo Boricua Community Librarianship Project
9. Web resources

1. The Changing Face of America

Libraries in big cities and small rural towns across the United States increasingly look for ways to provide service to the Spanish-speaking population and with good reason. The Hispanic population is currently the nation’s largest minority community, and it will continue to see significant growth in the coming years. Hispanic numbers will increase from 31.4 million in 2000 to 58.9 million in 2025 to 96.5 million in 2050. This will be almost one quarter of the entire U.S. population, and the changing demographics will have major implications for library services over the next half-century.

Librarians should be anticipating and planning now for a tremendous growth in the number of Hispanic children and families they serve. Because of birth rate patterns, a far higher proportion of this Hispanic population will be children and teenagers. Public, school, and eventually academic libraries will all be impacted by an increased demand for Spanish and bilingual services and resources. Additionally, today the vast majority of library professionals are white, English-speaking individuals, so not only do the information requirements of the Spanish-speaking population need to be addressed, but so too does recruitment to the profession to help build a more multicultural, multilingual and multi-ethnic library workforce.

This is the first in a series of issues that will focus on service to diverse populations. The current issue provides brief synopses of recent articles on public libraries and their Spanish-speaking users.

2. Providing Library Services en Español, Para Los Usuarios Quienes Hablan Español

Buck, Katie, Karyn Millikan, Cindy Rider and Sadie Smith. “Library Services for Hispanic Patrons.” Indiana Libraries v23 n 1 2004 p22-29.

The authors discuss public library services for Hispanics and the need for staff development, collection development, programming, outreach services and marketing to provide these services. They provide the following recommendations:

Train and involve the staff

• Educate staff on social and educational benefits of providing multicultural resources and services.
• As a group, review mission statement to ensure it shows library commitment to supporting cultural diversity.
• Evaluate how to best meet needs of all patrons.
• Consider how the library is perceived in the community.
• Get out there and listen to what the community is saying.

Provide accessible and useful collections

• Locate Spanish language and bilingual collections in a separate place for easier physical access.
• Catalog Spanish language and bilingual collections in both English and Spanish and avoid headings that are general (e.g. Hispanic), biased, or non-specific to topics covered in the material.
• Acquire Spanish language and bilingual newspapers, which are often overlooked in collection development and often free.
• Purchase a wide variety of formats, genres, and subjects, including Spanish reference sources.

Offer appropriate programming

• Develop programs to acquaint Spanish-speaking patrons with the collection.
• Make use of public holidays such as Día de los Niños/Día de Los Libros to promote literacy for Hispanic patrons.
• Provide services such as homework help, multicultural book clubs, computer clubs, and technology workshops in Spanish.
• Encourage entire family participation via literacy programs such as ESL/GED courses and bilingual story hours.

Outreach and marketing

• Offer library services on the “user’s own turf” to overcome reluctance to go to the library.
• Use off-site locations such as churches, community centers, hospitals, day care centers, and schools for programs.
• Create a high profile in the community through word of mouth advertising and public service announcements in Spanish on local radio and television stations.
• Participate in community events and use them as an opportunity to tell potential patrons what the library has to offer and to give away bilingual items such as refrigerator magnets, bookmarks, free books, or coupons for a free book on the first visit to the library

3. Collection Development – Barriers and Strategies

Marquis, Solina Kasten. “Collections and Services for the Spanish-Speaking: Issues and Resources.” Public Libraries v42 n2 March/April 2003 p.106-112.

In this article the author describes factors that have hindered the development of Spanish language and bilingual collections and suggests strategies and tools that can help the non-Spanish-speaking librarian select and acquire Spanish language materials. The author also provides resource lists for:

• Selected U.S. Spanish language and Latino Book Publications Sources
• Bibliographies and Lists of Recommended Spanish language and Latino Children’s and Young Adult Materials
• Selected Acquisition Sources for Spanish language and Latino-focused Books
• Selected Acquisition Sources for Periodicals
• Selected Acquisition Sources for Audiovisual Materials

Barriers to Collection Development

• U.S. publishers did not seriously consider the Spanish language library market until the 1990’s. Early publications had linguistic problems including poor translation and the use of nonstandard Spanish.
• Latin-American publishers didn’t realize the economic potential of U.S. libraries until the late 1990’s. They also didn’t provide service such as complete bibliographic data and product descriptions, purchase order acquisition systems or copy cataloging. Poor binding and paper quality also were problems until the late 1990's.
• There are limited resources in subject areas that may comprise much of a public library’s demand, including high-interest/low-level books for adults, survival publications that help recent immigrants find information concerning jobs, healthcare, and legal assistance, and children’s fiction that reflects the range of Latino experiences.
• The biggest obstacles are bottlenecks in the distribution and marketing of Spanish language books including poor order fulfillment by distributors of foreign materials.

Strategies and Resources for Collection Development

• Librarians new to Spanish language collection development might want to examine the ALA Guidelines for Library Service to Hispanics. (http://www.ala.org/ala/rusa/rusaprotools/referenceguide/guidelineslibrary.htm).
• Use review tools such as Críticas, a bi-monthly English language review and preview periodical covering Spanish language books, magazines, and video and audio recordings. Available at: http://libraryjournal.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?layout=criticas
• For juvenile and young adult selections try: Barahona Center for the Study of Books in Spanish for Children and Adolescents - online juvenile book reviews http://www.csusm.edu/csb/
• Pura Belpré http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/belpremedal/belprmedal.htm
• For retrospective choices for adult material, examine the holdings of public libraries whose Spanish language collections demonstrate attention to the needs of Latino users. For example the Newark Public Library’s Multilingual Materials Acquisition Center site: http://www.npl.org/pages/multimac/booklist/spanish.html
• Latino library patrons use magazines and newspapers to keep informed about events in their countries of origin, as well as local issues, so attention and perhaps a significant portion of the Latino materials budget should be provided to magazines and newspapers. Online resources that contain links to hundreds of Spanish language and Latino magazine and newspaper sites include:
• Online Newspapers.com http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/
• Internet Public Library http://www.ipl.org/reading/news

Because reviews are limited and local preferences may be strong, audiovisual product selection frequently requires input from the local community.

Acquisition Strategies

• Establish strong working relationships with book vendors specializing in Spanish language materials.
• Choose several vendors and base the choices on selection, service, and speed.
• Evaluate each distributor’s services including its language options for communications with them, its ability to find products that match library needs, the format and organization of its catalogs, the availability of bibliographic data, and the ordering and purchase process.
• If fluent in Spanish, attend international book fairs or visit local specialty stores to find out what is popular.
• For up-to-date and inexpensive consumer health, legal, tax and social security information, use government sources. Materials for parents and childcare providers can be found at National Association for the Education of Young Children web site http://www.naeyc.org/pubs/

4. Accessibility – If it's not accessible, it's not service-oriented

Marquis, Solina Kasten. “Collections and Services for the Spanish-Speaking: Accessibility.” Public Libraries v42 n3 May/June 2003 p.172-177.

The author of this article recommends technical services strategies and tools, as well as education and communication resources that public libraries can use to improve accessibility to both collections and library facilities for Latino users. She notes that collecting Spanish language materials is only half the job and that making the resources available to the intended users is the other half that must be put into place to provide complete service. The author also provides the following resource lists:

• MARC Record Enhancement for Spanish language Materials (examples)
• Selected Exemplary Public Library Web Sites for the Spanish-speaking
• Spanish language Sites That Can Aid Spanish-speaking Web Learners
• Online Glossaries and Guides in Spanish

Education and Communications Tools 

• Provide pre-service and in-service cultural sensitivity training to the staff.
• If funds are available provide Spanish language training for the staff. The Learning Light Educational Materials and Services program “Spanish that Works…in the Library” is an affordable means of training staff. http://www.thelearninglight.com/
• Again, if funds are available, there are public library consultants who can provide short workshops to assist library systems in developing their service to Latino customers.
• REFORMA, an ALA affiliate that develops and promotes library and information services to the Spanish-speaking, provides newsletters, discussions groups, and conferences for librarians working with Latino communities. http://www.reforma.org

5. Rural Libraries – Serving a Changing Population

Snyder, Tressa. “Rural Library Services to Minority Populations: Case Studies in the United States.” Rural Libraries v24 n1 2004 p51-63.

This article presents eight case studies of rural and small libraries around the country serving various minority populations, with the largest group being Spanish-speaking individuals from Latin America. The case studies survey library services provided to these populations, barriers or challenges to providing those services and techniques for marketing services.

Services provided by these libraries for the Hispanic populations focus on accessibility, programming, and materials.

Accessibility in the form of Bookmobile and outreach activities to provide services to:

Programming including Literacy programming such as:

• English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes
• Art seminars featuring Latin-American artists
• Tutoring
• Spanish language story and poetry time
• Computer literacy training
• English cafes wherein volunteers serve as English conversation coaches
• "Mommy and Me"programs to teach parenting skills from birth to three years of age
• "Grandparents Raising Grandchildren" programs
• Family Night for migrant farm workers with story time and craft sessions

Materials such as:

The author lists some of the challenges faced by these libraries, such as:  

The article also includes marketing techniques and tools:

6. The Invisible Population – Migrant Workers

Prock, Andy. “Serving the Invisible Population: Library Outreach for Migrant Farm Workers.” Bookmobiles and Outreach Service v6 n1 2003 p. 37-51.

As the author notes, “Migrant farm workers are a frequently overlooked and sometimes invisible segment of the population who could benefit a great deal from library outreach services.” The National Center for Farmworker Health estimates there are between 3 to 5 million migrant farm workers, and an estimated 85% are Hispanic. Prock discusses the information needs of migrant workers, the challenges of providing service to this population, and the future of the bookmobile in meeting the challenge of serving migrant workers.

Information needs of migrant workers

• The most critical need is for information about health and housing. Migrant workers also need job training information and literacy programs.
• While libraries cannot provide housing or health care, they can partner with migrant health centers and other agencies such as the Rural Information Center (RIC) of the National Agricultural Library, which provides information services for rural communities, officials, organizations and citizens. http://www.nal.usda.gov/ric/. The RIC is staffed by librarians and technical information specialists with advanced degrees in areas such as social, biological or health sciences.
• Outreach can be provided simply by visiting the campsites and providing social interaction for people who are in isolated areas.

Challenges in Providing Library Services to Migrant Workers

• Geographic and social isolation and transitory residency status - Migrant workers often live in camps and temporary housing and move several times a year. They are often at some distance from the library and have limited access to transportation.
• Illiteracy - Migrant workers not only have problems with English language skills, but are often illiterate in their own languages.
• Lack of familiarity with library services - Latin America for the most part lacks a tradition of public library services, and migrant workers may not realize that the services are free.
• Distrust of institutions - Some migrant workers are illegal aliens who want to remain invisible.
• Funding - Money often goes to computers and technology instead of services for the poor who have no financial or political clout.

Rural Libraries, Bookmobiles, and Service

Rural libraries with bookmobiles are well suited for outreach to migrant workers. The bookmobile enables the librarian to deliver print and audio/visual materials and training on site. Including multicultural resources, especially audio/visual creates a welcoming atmosphere for migrant workers, particularly if they are not literate. High tech equipment on bookmobiles will help provide Internet access and computer training for hard to reach families. Computer technology available on the bookmobile can be used to educate both parents and children. Given the transitory resident status of migrant farm workers, distance education via the bookmobile may be a way to deliver courses to students who would not otherwise be able complete their high school education or acquire other life skills.

While funding issues will continue to be a problem for services to migrant workers, the Rural Information Center is a useful resource for libraries that need information or strategies concerning grants and funding programs.

7. Virtual Service – Urban Libraries and Bilingual Web Sites

Shapiro, Michael. “Developing Virtual Spanish language Resources: Exploring a Best Practice Model for Public Libraries." OLA Quarterly (Oregon Library Association) q9 n2 Summer 2003 p15-19.

Shapiro evaluates the Spanish language resources of five public library systems considered leaders in the field of developing electronic resources for Spanish-speaking populations. These libraries provide a broad array of services, although no single library does it all. Highlights of the services provided by these libraries are:

Multnomah County Public Library - http://www.multcolib.org/libros/index.html

• Google web search site description includes the word Español in the first few words.
• On the site's home page, the word Español is obvious in the top right corner.
• The Spanish language home page includes a good collection of local and national Hispanic community information, English language learning information and many of the general, library-specific offerings on the English language page.
• Subscription databases are available in Spanish or in a bilingual format.

Los Angeles Public Library - http://www.lapl.org/espanol/

• The Spanish language home page provides links to numerous Spanish language web sites, bibliographic materials, reference sources, databases, etc.
• Online reference service in Spanish is offered to both local users and those outside the LAPL geographic area.
• The Virtual Library offers card-holding patrons access to magazine content through Informe and to newspapers through Noticias.

Queens Borough Public Library - http://www.queenslibrary.org/Spanish/index.asp

• The site provides a very visible link to Spanish language pages, as well as other languages.
• Like Multnomah, the Google description mentions Spanish language offerings, although in English not Spanish.
• They offer the most user-friendly Spanish language catalog interface through "InfoLinQ."

San Antonio Public Library - http://www.sanantonio.gov/library/espanol/

• The site offers easy access from a sidebar on the left.
• Users can access a number of services from the Spanish language page including the Internet, catalog, the Latino collection, class information, etc. all in Spanish.

San Francisco Public Library - http://sfpl.lib.ca.us/spanish/index.htm

• On the site's home page, the words en Español are obvious in the top right corner.
• The site offers an online catalog in Spanish.
• The home page connects users to annotated links of numerous Spanish-friendly search engines.
• Users can pose short questions to librarians in Spanish via e-mail.

8. Spotlight on GSLIS – Ann Bishop and the Paseo Boricua Community Librarianship Project

Bishop, Ann Peterson and Alejandro Luis Molina. “Felicitaciones, Paseo Boricua!” VOYA v 27 n 4 October 2004 p268-269. http://pdfs.voya.com/VO/YA2/VOYA200410MVPFelicitaciones.pdf

Faculty and students from GSLIS and activists, librarians and high school teachers from the Paseo Boricua neighborhood in Chicago, IL have collaborated to involve inner-city youth in developing library services. Since the program began in September 2003, youth have learned librarianship, computer skills, and civic engagement in order to catalog books and offer programs in the Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC).

In January 2003, faculty members Ann Bishop and Pat Lawton met with PRCC members to set goals for creating a community of learners who could mobilize neighborhood information and cultural resources. The initial project involved cataloging over 4,000 volumes of Puerto Rican literature, two galleries of cultural artifacts, and three decades of Spanish language newspapers contained in the PRCC. In the fall of 2003, an independent study “Street Academy” course was developed to help high school students learn library, computer and written expression skills in activities that would serve the community. Over the next several months, the academy progressed from classroom-style learning to an apprenticeship model. The Paseo Boricua Community Librarianship students also created digital tools and resources using two community information system projects at GSLIS: the Community Inquiry Lab http://inquiry.uiuc.edu/ilabs ) and Prairienet (http://www.prairienet.org). The program reached a culminating point with the grand opening of the Community Information and Technology Center.

This program was awarded the VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates) most valuable program honor in 2004.

9. Web resources

In addition to the web sites listed throughout this issue, we recommend the following:

CLNet

This source assists librarians in locating Spanish materials including general reference collections, museum and reference collections, archives, electronic publications, and many other types of resources. http://clnet.sscnet.ucla.edu/library/library.html

Spanish in Our Libraries (SOL)

Created by Bruce Jensen. SOL is an electronic newsletter in its fourth year of connecting librarians who serve Spanish speakers. Each issue gathers links, questions, and wisdom contributed by some 200 subscribers around the world. http://www.sol-plus.net/index.htm

Public Libraries Using Spanish (PLUS)

Created by Bruce Jensen. PLUS is a growing, searchable resource bank that includes Spanish language versions of common library forms, flyers, and signs as well as the Dewey Decimal classification system; book summaries; guides to the language and to programming ideas. http://www.sol-plus.net/plus/home.htm

Learn the Net en Español

Created by Michael Lerner Productions This site helps not only Spanish-speaking but also English and French-speaking students use the web. http://www.learnthenet.com/spanish/index.html

Spanish Resources

Created by Stella Quiñones, Bernice Martinez-Comstock, Debbie Eagan, and Mark Emmons. Links to resources categorized by: Culture and History; Music, Radio and Television; News and Magazines; Literature and Language; Virtual Environments; Country/City Tours; and Grab Bag. http://polyglot.lss.wisc.edu/lss/lang/spanish.html

Library Jargon in Spanish – A Glossary

Created by Mark Emmons, Stella Quiñones, and Bernice Martinez Comstock. English to Spanish translations for basic library terminology are provided. http://www.unm.edu/~emmons/nmla/spanish-library-jargon.html