Lawrenceville library to offer Spanish-language outreach program

LAWRENCEVILLE, (Mar. 15) - One in a series of workshops designed to help Georgia’s libraries reach out to the Spanish-speaking citizens across the state is set for April 25 at the Collins Hill Branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library in Lawrenceville. 

   "The Gwinnett County Library system currently serves some communities, such as Norcross, where the population is as much as 35% Hispanic,” explained Karen J. Harris, the facilitator who will be conducting the workshop. “Being able to introduce the basics about libraries to all customers, including those whose primary language is Spanish, can facilitate learning and enhance the quality of life for everyone." 

   Harris is one of five Georgia-based workshop leaders who received a grant to travel to Seattle and participate in a series of extensive training sessions to become a master trainer for the nationwide program entitled “Spanish Language Outreach Program: Empowering Library Staff to Meet the Technology Needs of Spanish Speakers.” She and the four other trainers will conduct 15 or more workshops for as many as 400 staff members employed by Georgia’s 58 regional library systems.

   The program is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, in partnership with WebJunction, an online community where library staff meet to share ideas, solve problems, take online courses – and have fun, and various state libraries, including the Georgia Public Library Service. 

   The workshops will teach Georgia’s librarians how to better serve the technology needs of Spanish-speaking citizens and make them aware of library computer services available to the Spanish-speaking community. 

   Spanish speakers are heavily represented across Georgia. In August 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau released its estimate that 598,322 Hispanics now reside in the state. The Hispanic population grew faster in Georgia than in any state in the nation from 2000 to 2002, with an increase of 17 percent. In 2004, the last year for which complete statistics are available, Georgia was the third fastest-growing state in the country for Hispanics.

   Participants who attend one of the day-long outreach workshops will receive information and training about proven marketing techniques, understanding cultural differences, providing technology training, and partnering with local community organizations that serve Spanish speakers. As part of their training, participants will begin to develop an action plan of outreach activities to implement in their local libraries.

   In addition, participants will have access to content and resources posted on WebJunction that will aid in their ongoing outreach efforts. They will also be asked to take part in the Spanish Language Outreach Program message forum on WebJunction, where they can share ideas and experiences with other library staff people involved in similar outreach activities throughout the country. 

   Harris was selected as a trainer because she already had successfully implemented programs for Spanish-speaking patrons in the Gwinnett County Public Library System as manager of its Norcross branch library and as diversity projects coordinator for the system.

   “The Seattle Training was challenging, informative and inspiring,” Harris said, noting that is not necessary for librarians to be fluent speakers of Spanish in order to be able to communicate effectively. “I am excited about presenting concepts that will create a comfort level for librarians who are serving the changing populations within Georgia.” 

   In addition to the Lawrenceville session, Harris and other trainers will be conducting workshops March 23 at the Okefenokee Regional Library in Waycross; March 28 at the Rome-Floyd County Library in Rome; March 30 at the Valdosta-Lowndes County Library in Valdosta; April 5 at the Bull Street Library in Savannah; April 6 at both the Blackshear Place Branch Library in Gainesville and the Columbus Public Library; April 11 at both the Sequoyah Regional Library in Canton and the Augusta-Richmond County Public Library; April 13 at the Riverfront Resource Center in Albany; April 27 at the Oconee County Library in Watkinsville; May 4 at the Shurling Branch Library in Macon; May 9 at both the Dunwoody Branch Library in Atlanta and the Manchester Public Library; and May 16 at the Clayton County Library in Jonesboro. 

   For additional information, visit: www.webjunction.org/Spanish or www.georgialibraries.org .