¿Sí o No?Facts & Myths about Library Services to Latinos

Alicia K. Long

6 Statements about Services to Latinos…

For each statement: Statement: ¿Sí o No? Information List of resources/links

#1 All Latinos eat tacos

Nebuloni, Luca. Mexican tacos. Creative Commons. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/nebulux/

#1 All Latinos eat tacos• Latin America = 21+ countries!• Latino / Hispanic / Spanish /

Spaniard• “Diversity within diversity”:

Different cultures, languages, music, traditions, food, vocabulary, socio-economic level, immigrant/citizenship status,…

• Cultural experiences(How much does it cost to be a member? /librería v. biblioteca)

NO

#1 Resources

• “I am Latino, but I’m not” video: http://youtu.be/0imzkV15500

• Hispanic Heritage Month 2015 Infographic (from The Economist)

• U.S. Census: Florida demographics

• Pew Hispanic Center: http://www.pewhispanic.org

Demographic Profile of Hispanics inFlorida, 2011. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from

http://www.pewhispanic.org/states/state/fl/

#2 You NEED a Latino/a Librarian in every library to better serve Latinos

Latino librarians at a REFORMA event. Retrieved from reforma.org.

#2 You NEED a Latino/a Librarian in every library to better serve Latinos ¡Sí

y No!

#2 You NEED a Latino/a Librarian to better serve Latinos• Diversify LIS• Staff-to-Librarian programs: recruit Latino staff and

encourage them to pursue their studies!• Advocate for bilingual incentives/bonus.• Scholarships:

Spectrum (ALA)FLA (one per school/one for minorities)USF/FSU FAME (Sandy Ulm Scholarship)REFORMA de Florida

Sí

Spectrum Scholarship Logo. Retrieved from ala.org

#2 You NEED a Latino/a Librarian to better serve Latinos• Surround yourself with colleagues from all backgrounds.

• REFORMA: National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-speaking: “anyone serving the Latino community.” REFORMA de Florida (Florida Chapter.)

• Use “Cultural Consultants”: your patrons! Ask them to be part of the conversation: what they want, what

they need, how they can help. Provide opportunities for them to generate/share knowledge!

NO

#2 Resources

• ALA Spectrum: http://www.ala.org/offices/diversity/spectrum

• FLA: http://www.flalib.org/scholarships.php

• FAME: http://www.floridamedia.org/ Sandy Ulm Scholarship

• REFORMA: reforma.org reformanet@googlegroups.com Send job announcements to this group.Facebook: REFORMA, REFORMA Think Thank, and REFORMA Florida.

#3 A well-stocked section of “Libros en Español” is enough

AKL. 2015. “I’ll Give You the Sun in Spanish.”

#3 A well stocked section of “Libros en Español” is enough• Latino authors/illustrators across all collections. Belpré Award,

Américas Award, Tomás Rivera Award, International Latino Book Awards.

• Books with Latinos as main & secondary characters, and in non-culturally-specific roles.

• Types of books: “By”- “about” – “by but not about” (CCBC)

• Summer reading lists, storytime (all themes.)

• RUSA Guidelines for Services to Hispanics, section 2 (collection.)

NO

#3 Resources

• Pura Belpré Award (children and teens): http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/belpremedal

• IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People): ibby.org

• CCBC (Cooperative Children´s Book Center): https://ccbc.education.wisc.edu

• RUSA Guidelines for Services to Hispanics: http://www.ala.org/rusa/resources/guidelines/guidelineslibrary

• Spanish on our Shelves: Library Journal Articlereviews.libraryjournal.com/spanish-on-our-shelves

#4 Materials/books for Latinos are hard to find

#4 Materials/books for Latinos are hard to find

• Remember #3: not only books in Spanish!• Specialized publishers & specialized distributors: some based

in Florida! America Reads Spanish booth in exhibits.• “We Need Diverse Books” Campaign and organization.• International Book Fairs:

Guadalajara (Mexico) / LIBER (Spain) / Buenos Aires (Arg) / FILBO (Colombia) / CubaMiami Book Fair / Book Expo America.

NO

#4 Resources

• America Reads Spanish: americareadsspanish.org• Cinco Books (based in Miami): cincobooks.com• Cinco Puntos Press (independent publisher): www.cincopuntos.com• First Book Marketplace Latino section): fbmarketplace.org/latino-culture• Lectorum: www.lectorum.com• Lee & Low: www.leeandlow.com• Lorito Books (Spanish + audio): loritobooks.com• Spanish Publishers: spanishpublishers.net• ALA FIL Guadalajara Pass:http://www.ala.org/offices/iro/awardsactivities/guadalajarabook• ALA Havana Book Fair www.ala.org/offices/ala-havana-book-fair-tour• Buenos Aires International Book Fair: www.el-libro.org.ar/fel• We Need Diverse Books: weneeddiversebooks.org

#5 Is Hispanic Heritage Month enough?

“National Hispanic Heritage Month 2015.” Retrieved from: http://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov

#5 Is Hispanic Heritage Month enough?• Collection + Services + Programs• HHM: Avoid stereotypes (fiesta, sombrero, maraca). Authentic decorations.• Ready-to-use programs all year long:

DIA (Diversity in Action)Started as “Día de los Niños/Día de los Libros” by author Pat Mora. Now ALSC, broader diversity program: toolkit with resources, printables, logo, bibliographies.

“NOCHE DE CUENTOS” / A Night of StoriesStorytelling – Artwork – Storytellers list – Mini grants.

Prime Time Family Literacy (bilingual series.)

• Academic libraries: Grants for art exhibits, music, literature, history.• Latino Americans: 500 Years of History Resources for everyone, not only grantees.• Oral histories. Repositories. Special Collections.• Florida Humanities Council: Speakers Bureau (history.) Panels (political debates.)

NO

#5 Resources

• DIA: dia.ala.org• Noche de Cuentos: nochedecuentos.org• Prime Time (in FL):

floridahumanities.org/programs/primetime/• Latino Americans: 500 Years of History:

ala.org/latinoamericans• Florida Humanities Council: floridahumanities.org• StoryCorps “Historias”: storycorps.org/historias

#6 All types of libraries need to consider services to Latinos

Screenshots from college and university libraries’ libguides.

#6 All types of libraries need to consider services to Latinos

• Academic libraries: Confronting the “They need to learn English” argument.• Enrollment/Retention/Graduation: “My culture is

valued, and they understand me.”• Informed citizenship/Political climate/Latino

studies: making informed decisions.

¡Sí!

#6 Resources

• Latinos in the Electoral Map (Florida): www.pewhispanic.org/interactives/mapping-the-latino-electorate-by-state/• Hispanic enrollment in college:

www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/hispanic-college-enrollment-rate• Databases: Informe Académico, Fuente Académica, Chicano

Studies Full Text, Latin American Studies (EBSCO, ProQuest, ABC-Clio, Gale …)• Ask a Librarian in LibApps (customize widget to Spanish)

¿Preguntas?

AKL. 2014. “Books as Bridges.” Buenos Aires, Argentina.

¡Gracias! / Thanks!

alicia.k.long @ gmail.comaklibrarian.wordpress.com