Library services for multicultural patrons : strategies to encourage library use

Increasingly, libraries are struggling to deal with a growing diversity in the cultural background of their patrons. Problems arising from this cultural diversity afflict all library types--school, public and academic. Library Services for Multicultural Patrons is by and for all libraries that are striving to provide multicultural services to match the growing diversity in the cultural background of patrons.

The book is designed to offer helpful tips and practical advice to academic, public, and school librarians who want to better serve the multicultural groups in their communities. The contributors to the book are themselves practicing librarians and they share creative ideas for welcoming multicultural patrons into libraries and strategies for serving them more effectively. Librarians will find in these chapters tried and true tips and techniques for marketing and promotion, improving reference services for speakers of English as a second language, and enhancing programming that they can easily implement in their own libraries and communities.

The chapters are divided into the following categories for ease of access: 1) Getting Organized and Finding Partners, 2) Reaching Students, 3) Community Connections, 4) Applying Technology, 6) Outreach Initiatives, 6) Programming and Events, and 7) Reference Services.

Librarians of all types will be pleased to discover easy-to-implement suggestions for collaborative efforts, many rich and diverse programming ideas, strategies for improving reference services and library instruction to speakers of English as a second language, marketing and promotional tips designed to welcome multicultural patrons into the library, and much more.

• Foreword p. ix
• Preface p. xi
• Acknowledgments p. xiii
• Part I Getting Organized and Finding Partners p. 1
• 1 Becoming a Multicultural Services Library: A Guided Journey to Serving Diverse Populations p. 3 Donna Walker and Padma Polepeddi
• 2 No Surprise, Community Engagement Works p. 13 Theresa Beaidieu
• 3 International Advisory Committee at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library p. 21 Meryle A. Leonard
• 4 The Gathering Place: A Multicultural Experience at the Joseph F. Smith Library p. 27 Zoia Adam-Falevai and Becky DeMartini
• 5 Partnerships Linking Cultures: Multicultural Librarianship in British Columbia's Public Libraries p. 37 Allan Cho and Ada Con
• 6 The Bridge: Librarians Collaborate with the Office of Multicultural Affairs, a Division of Student Affairs p. 49 Fantasia Thorne and Kimberly Williams
• Part II Reaching Students p. 55
• 7 Connecting Native American Students to Cline Library p. 57 Amy Hughes and Carissa Tsosie
• 8 Delivering Library Instruction in a Native Language p. 67 LaVentra E. Danqnah and Wendy G. Wu
• 9 The Role of Teacher-Librarians in Encouraging Library Use by Multicultural Patrons p. 73 Danielle M. Colbert-Lewis and Sean C. D. Colbert-Lewis Sr.
• 10 Expanding Services to International Students and Scholars at Midsize and Small Universities and Colleges p. 83 Amauri Serrano and Elizabeth Cramer
• 11 Reaching Out to International Students at the University of Lethbridge Library p. 93 Nicole Eva
• 12 The Solo Career College Librarian: Reaching Out to Nontraditional Students p. 101 Alice Graves
• 13 Serving Diverse Populations: Outreach to Chinese and African American Users p. 111 Kelly Rhodes McBride and Xiaorong Shao
• Part III Community Connections p. 121
• 14 The Community Speaks for Itself: Indigenous Speakers in the Labriola National American Indian Data Center p. 123 Joyce Martin
• 15 Connecting with Multicultural Teens (and Their Families by Extension) p. 31 Ashley Ansah
• 16 "!Soy Culto!": Connecting with the Hispanic Population p. 139 Joyce Nutta and Julie Ventura
• 17 Fotonovelas and Historietas: Adult Comic Books from Mexico in American Libraries p. 149 Cynthia Houston
• 18 Reaching Out through Graphic Novels p. 157 Michael Buono
• Part IV Applying Technology p. 163
• 19 The Multilingual Glossary Project and my Language: Two Online Programs to Assist Libraries to Deliver Services to 1 Multicultural Patrons p. 165 Oriana Acevedo and Nicky Lo Bianco
• 20 Developing a Job Help and Computer Skills Program for Recent Immigrants p. 175 Nyssa Densley and Heather Ross
• 21 Opening the World: Creating a Multilingual DVD to Introduce Library Services to Refugees and Immigrants p. 185 Judy Anghelescu
• 22 Virtual Services to Latinos and Spanish Speakers p. 193 Audrey Barbakoff and Kristina Gomez
• 23 Web-Based Language Technologies p. 203 Frans Albarillo
• Part V Outreach Initiatives p. 213
• 24 "If You Build It, [They] Will Come": Actively Inviting Multicultural Users to Academic Libraries by Offering Family Literacy Workshops p. 215 Ladislava Khailova
• 25 Community Family Literacy Programs at the Azusa City Library p. 225 Maria A. Pacino
• 26 An Oral History Guide p. 235 Mark Donnelly
• 27 Librarians' Role as Educators in Promoting Library Resources for Multicultural Patrons while Advancing a National Health Initiative p. 243 LaVentra E. Danquah and Wendy G. Wu
• 28 Programs, Signage, and the Kitchen Sink: Attracting Multicultural Patrons to School Libraries p. 249 Kris Baughman and Rebecca Mar cum Parker
• Part VI Programming and Events p. 257
• 29 Raising Awareness in Academic Libraries with Multicultural Exhibits, Installations, and Decorations p. 259 Fantasia Thome and Kimberly Williams
• 30 Bridging the Gap: Exploring the Racial Divide in Louisiana p. 265 Derek Mosley and April Grey
• 31 Café a las Siete/Coffee at Seven: Cross-Cultural Programming at a Public Library p. 271 Diana J. Lennon
• 32 So You Think You Can Write?: Programming That Encourages Creativity p. 279 April Grey and Derek Mosley
• 33 English Conversation Clubs at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library p. 285 Staci Falkowitz
• Part VII Reference Services p. 291
• 34 Active Listening without Visual Cues: Phone Reference Tips for ESL Learners p. 293 Erin Brothen and Erika Bennett
• 35 The Culturally Relevant Reference Interview: How to Enhance Reference Transactions in an Era of Diversity p. 297 Erin Brothen and Erika Bennett
• 36 Risk Looking Stupid p. 303 Michael Buono
• 37 Genealogy Reference for Diverse Customers p. 309 J. Wendel Cox and James K. Jeffrey
• Index p. 317
• About the Editors and Contributors p. 327