Libraries and English Language Learners

Sullivan, Maureen

Libraries and English Language Learners

Lynch, G. (2015). Libraries and English language learners. School Library Journal. Retrieved from: http://www.slj.com/2015/04/diversity/libraries-and-english-language-learners/#_

Summary:

This article highlights a library in Hennepin County, Minnesota to illustrate the rich diversity of its patrons and their particular needs regarding language and culture. It also addresses the challenges involved in developing collections to meet the varied linguistic needs of its patrons. For example, the Hmong written language was only developed 50 years ago, making the availability of items in print very limited. Lynch plugs the need to hire librarians that are culturally and linguistically representative of its patrons, making recruitment of more diverse pool of MLIS students key.

Evaluation: I have experienced this challenge first hand last year, when I was trying to purchase books in Samoan for a small public school in San Francisco with a large Samoan population. I worked with the public children's librarian from the local branch as well, but their collection was also quite small. The fact that many publishers that do carry books in languages other than English are much more expensive, making meeting school library budgets match the language needs of the library especially challenging. However, that doesn't mean that librarians shouldn't strive to procure diverse materials. Our students depend on it.

Building a Multicultural School Library

Hubschman, Amy Resource:

Agosto, D. E. (2007). Building a multicultural school library: Issues and challenges. Teacher Librarian, 34(3), 27-31.

Summary:
This article discusses the many problems, issues, and obstacles that libraries encounter when developing a collection that can properly meet the needs of a culturally diverse community.  The author suggests there are a set of five specific criteria to use when developing a collection for a multicultural community.  The author further suggests that librarians should follow the criteria to ensure that ELL patrons feel connected and correctly represented in the library.    

Evaluation:

Living in a central suburb area of Texas I found this article extremely helpful and relevant to me on a personal level.  I don’t speak Spanish and considering many of the patrons I will eventually encounter do I find it very important to understand their needs in developing a library collection.  ELL patrons should be adequately represented in my future library and understanding the specific issues one might encounter when obtaining materials for them is important to be aware of.  
One of the five criteria listed by the author was “accuracy”.  Spanish is not always the same.  The Spanish speaking world is very diverse.  Teaching at a school with a high Hispanic enrollment I've already seen the struggles our librarian has faced trying to find accurate materials.  She has to know the students, know where they come from, and know which forms of Spanish they speak and which forms they read.  Do the students speak Latin American Spanish, Castilian Spanish, Trade Winds Spanish, or another form?
It’s important for students to be properly represented in their libraries.  Without an accurate representation of themselves the students will have a much harder time developing a sense of ownership and belonging to their libraries.