The ¡HOLA! Project (Hispanic Outreach Library Action Project) is intended to empower Wisconsin library staff to reach out to the Hispanic community and increase their access to technology.
Between November 2007 and May 2008, trainers offered one-day workshops to Wisconsin public library staff on best practices for reaching out to and serving the Hispanic community. Each workshop included a regional panel of people familiar with the Hispanic community in that area.
Trainers:
Nancy Fletcher, Waukesha Federated Library System
Leah Langby, Indianhead Federated Library System
Jamie Matczak, Nicolet Library System
Marcia Sarnowski, Winding Rivers Library System
What Librarians Learned:
- Demographic information on the Hispanic community in Wisconsin
- Increased awareness of Hispanic cultures and diversity issues
- Methods to increase partnerships between libraries and the local Hispanic community
- Skills and techniques to help this community become aware of local library services and to become library users
- Tips on potential services of special interest to this population
- Resources to better serve the Hispanic community
For more information contact:
Barb Huntington, DLTCL at 608-267-5077 or
barbara.huntington@dpi.wi.gov
The ¡HOLA! Project workshops were coordinated by the Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, as a joint project with WebJunction, and were funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. These workshops were part of WebJunction's Spanish Language Outreach Program.
Up Coming Events
Serving Immigrants-March 26, Menomonie Public Library (2 Sessions)
Cultural Liaisons from the Hennepin County Library will help participants learn about African, Latin American, and Hmong culture. They'll also discuss ways to plan, implement, and publicize services in a culturally responsive way. This program is intended for directors and all front-desk staff. There will be two sessions to accommodate as many staff as possible: Thursday, March 26 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. OR 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Menomonie Public Library. For more information go to www.ifls.lib.wi.us/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=QdOY6U4cGpI%3d&tabid=136
To register, send an e-mail to registration@ifls.lib.wi.us with your name, library name, and which session of the workshop you plan to attend.
Related links
2007-2008 News about the Hispanic Community
Summaries of recent news articles about the Hispanic community.
Examples of Hispanic Outreach
The Fond du Lac Public Library initiated a four-part cultural series in February 2009. The series will involve discussions of topics such as life's differences and self identity, diversity and language, employee relations and labor law, and global markets. Read more about the series at www.fdlreporter.com/article/20090106/FON0101/901060333/1985/FONent.
An editorial about the series is at www.fdlreporter.com/article/20090126/FON06/901260348.
Críticas Magazine Multicultural Link Blog
Bruce Jensen, who maintains a blog for Críticas Magazine, featured Wisconsin's ¡HOLA! Project on January 29th. He interviewed HOLA trainer Nancy Fletcher about the project. To read his comments, visit his blog at
www.criticasmagazine.com/blog/820000482/post/1560020956.html.
Críticas Magazine. Críticas Magazine is an English speaker's guide to the latest Spanish-Language Titles. It includes a monthly review of Spanish-language books produced by Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and School Library Journal. Críticas presents an authoritative one-stop source for English-language reviews of new adult and children's titles from the national and international Spanish-language publishing world. It also covers Spanish-language publishing news as it pertains to U.S. readers, librarians, and booksellers. To see the many resources at Críticas, go to their website at www.criticasmagazine.com.
El Día de Los Niños/El Día de Los Libros (Children's Day/Book Day)
Libraries across the country will join Dora the Explorer™, members of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), and REFORMA in celebrating El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children's Day/Book Day), also known as Día, on April 30. Día celebrates the importance of advocating literacy for every child, regardless of linguistic and cultural background. Dora the Explorer™, the popular children's television character who invites children to share her adventures in learning, is featured in the Día 2008 brochure, poster and bookmark.
Libraries showcase their various multicultural programs and services through Día celebrations. Día events support literacy and bridge cultures through bilingual book displays and story hours, family literacy fairs, bilingual writing projects, and programs that will encourage parents to inspire their children to read.
Día honors children, their languages and culture; encourages reading and literacy; and promotes library collections and programs that reflect the country's changing populations. For a brochure featuring multicultural book lists and tips on how to encourage children to read, please visit the Día Web site at www.ala.org/dia. Libraries that register their Día events through the Web site will receive copies of the complimentary brochure, while supplies last. In addition, posters and bookmarks are for sale through ALA Graphics at www.alastore.ala.org.
ALSC is the national center for Día. Through a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, ALSC is working with national organizations, such as Dia's Founding Partner, REFORMA, to initiate communication and education efforts that promote Día to families across the United States. REFORMA is the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking.
New Radio Campaign for Latinos Promotes Library Use
The American Library Association (ALA) has announced a new radio campaign to promote library use to Hispanics. The campaign encourages Latinos to connect with their local librarians and access free materials and resources available through their public library.
In partnership with Univision Radio, the nation's leading Spanish-language radio group, ALA launched the campaign to respond to data that shows Latinos are less likely than other groups to use their local libraries. According to ALA, only half of Latinos (49 percent) used their library in 2006, lower than the 63 percent for whites and 64 percent for African Americans.
The new en tu biblioteca ("at your library") campaign, which is part of ALA's Campaign for America's Libraries, communicates how libraries create opportunities for Latino adults and their children. The campaign positions librarians as a trusted source who can help library users obtain to accurate information about health, entrepreneurship and small business management, education, finances and more.
In addition, a new Spanish-language Web site for the public has been created to support the messages of the PSAs. Libraries in all markets are encouraged to use the materials. The PSAs, which feature the voice of Univision Radio personality Javier Romero, are also available for preview from the site.
To review the PSAs go to www.entubiblioteca.org Tools for librarians, including customizable bookmarks, posters, ads and web buttons, are also available on the site, specifically at www.entubiblioteca.org/bibliotecarios.
Wisconsin Results of the HOLA! Project Training
¡HOLA! Hispanic Outreach Library Action in Winding Rivers Library System
By Marcia Sarnowski
During the past year, Wisconsin public library systems hosted workshops designed to give librarians the knowledge and skills to better serve the needs of Spanish speakers in their communities, and increase awareness for Spanish speakers of public access computers and other library services.
The Winding Rivers Library System hosted its HOLA event in April 2008. Three speakers shared the day with the workshop attendees. Shaun Judge Duvall, director of the Puentes/Bridges program in Buffalo County (http://www.puentesbridges.org/index.html), travels to Wisconsin dairy farms to teach English to Spanish speaking workers, and coordinates trips to Mexico for Wisconsin farmers and those who work with immigrants, so they can meet the families of their farm workers. Rosa Hamilton is the Bilingual/ESL teacher in the Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School District. She works with families and children who are Spanish speakers, helping them find success in school. Reverend Leigh Waggoner is the vicar of St. John's Episcopal Church in Sparta. She introduced Spanish-language church services several years ago and has become a coordinator for community resources for Spanish speakers in Sparta. The speakers shared their enthusiasm for the important work they are doing in building community in their area of Wisconsin. And the librarians, Library Friends, and trustee workshop guests listened, and responded.
Here are some of the programs which have developed in the Winding Rivers area since the HOLA workshop:
In Buffalo County, the Friends of the Alma Public Library are working with Shaun Duvall to introduce a series of beginning Spanish classes for business owners, employees and interested citizens. The classes began in October, and 16 people attended the first one. Friends President Mary Johnson said there is already enough interest to arrange a series of classes in the spring. An intermediate skills class will also be offered, and "Until We Meet Again" Saturdays will feature coffee, tea, and Spanish-only conversation in the Friends' book nook, part of a downtown antique store.
Wilton Public Library Director Karen Carr made a request to her board for a Spanish-speaking part-time aide for the library. A local high school student, whose family originally came from Mexico, worked in the library through the summer, helping patrons become familiar with its services.
Ontario Public Library Director Laurie Erickson was concerned when the local volunteer English language tutor moved from the village; she knew there was a great interest in English classes among Spanish speaking residents. She contacted the area literacy council to arrange for tutor training; 15 people attended the class. She has also applied for funding to add some English language learning materials to the library's collection.
The city of Sparta now has a resource center for Spanish-speakers, the Lugar de Reunión (the Meeting Place). One of the volunteer tutors is an employee of the Sparta Free Library.
Across the state, many libraries have increased their outreach efforts to Spanish speakers in the past year, demonstrating their value as partners in civic engagement and building community. And here in our area, they are also building bridges.
--from the November/December 2008 edition of Whirlpools, the newsletter of the Winding Rivers Library System.
Additional Resources
Early Learning Resources Available in Spanish and English
Spanish and English versions of free parent-child early literacy materials titled "On the Go" are available. These materials include 14 activities designed to be used outside the home: in the car, while walking, during bus rides, etc. The activities encourage early language and literacy development from birth through preschool and positive parent-child interactions. They are appropriate for children with disabilities as well as children who are developing typically. The development of these materials was supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. These free reproducible materials were developed by Angela Notari-Syverson, Ph.D. and colleagues.
The 14 activities have accompanying hints for each activity about how they can be modified to meet the specific developmental needs of the child. To download materials go to www.walearning.com and click the purple button that says "Free Parent Education Handouts." Look for the "On the Go" files to download the materials in PDF format.
For questions please contact Mary Maddox, Washington Learning Systems, 2212 Queen Anne Ave North #726, Seattle WA 98109, (206) 310-7401, mmaddox@walearning.com
SteadyReader
SteadyReader, a section of the Recorded Books company, features authentic literature recorded at a slower pace. The books are recorded at 10-15% slower speed than normal speaking. These books are espeically good for English language learners and students with learning disabilities. The slightly slower speed of SteadyReaders enables students who find it difficult to keep up with most audiobooks to listen and read along. Award-winning actors dramatically narrate the text, helping students understand difficult words and correct intonation. Each side of a tape is about 20 minutes long; perfect for short, accessible reading sessions. Once students are comfortable at this slower speed, they are ready to move on to reading and listening to texts recorded at normal speeds.
ESL and special needs students can increase their English-language proficiency and still listen to the same audiobooks as their peers. SteadyReaders promote speaking skills as students listen to correct pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm. Great for advanced ESL or special needs students who have moved beyond the slower speeds of Recorded Books' SmartReader and are ready for authentic literature. ESL and special needs students will be better prepared to take an active part in classroom discussion.
For more information go to http://www.rbfilm.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=rb.search_books&search_by=program&program_id=2
Hispanic Population Estimates
The Arrowhead Library System has a listing by county of the current Hispanic population estimates for all Wisconsin counties. The information was compiled using the data from the Applied Population Laboratory, UW-Madison/Extension, which uses the Population Estimates Program, U.S. Census Bureau, 2008.
To see the list of Hispanic residents by county go to http://als.lib.wi.us/Monday%20Memo/Wisconsin%20Latino%20Pop%20by%20County%202007.xls 
Hispanics and Health Care in the United States: Access, Information, and Knowledge
There is a growing health care crisis in the United States and some groups are particularly vulnerable. This August 2008 report from the Pew Hispanic Center looks into the challenges faced by Hispanics in terms of their access and information about health care, and their findings will be of great use to public health researchers, journalists, and others. The 81-page report was written by Gretchen Livingston, Susan Minushkin, and D'Vera Cohn, and their work was supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The report is divided into four chapters, an executive summary, and two appendices. Chapters in the report include "How Much Do Hispanics Know About Diabetes?" and "Sources of Information on Health and Health Care". A number of the findings are a bit troubling, including the fact that more than one-fourth of Hispanic adults in the United States lack a regular health care provider. [KMG] - The Scout Report -- August 29, 2008. http://pewhispanic.org/files/reports/91.pdf 
Survey of Latino Use and Perceptions of Libraries
WebJunction, in partnership with the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute, recently published a research report detailing the results of a six-state telephone survey of over 2,860 adult Latinos detailing their library use and perceptions of libraries. The results indicate that 54% of the Latino population visited libraries in the past year, and that Latinos hold positive perceptions of libraries. To read the findings and recommendations of the study, go to www.webjunction.org/latino-perceptions/resources/overview.
For questions about this information, contact Barbara A. Huntington (608) 267-5077
Last updated on 2/24/2009 11:17:36 AM
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