MY PROJECT IDEA

To provide a location in the library with information written in Spanish for Spanish speaking patrons.
A designated area would become a familiar place for Spanish speakers to go directly to, and for library staff to have as an immediate point of reference. A table with information written in Spanish would save patrons and library staff considerable time as well as provide an effective and efficient service.
I based this decision on questions such as, “Where can I go to enroll in an ESL (English as a Second Language) class?”
“I don’t have dental insurance and need dental care, who can I contact?”
I organized a table with colorful fliers, brochures, booklets, and bilingual newspapers that inform patrons of library, community, state, and federal programs and services.

Note: Another reason why I chose this project.
I received an email from the library’s bilingual computer class instructor. He requested information written in Spanish that explained how to log in to our library computers. We do have an instruction sheet available with this information in Spanish at the reference desk, but he had not noticed it and neither had his students. This bothered me because he mentioned that some of his students do not have computers at home to practice on. Therefore, they had been missing out on an opportunity to improve their computer skills because of a language barrier and for not knowing that we do have these instructions in Spanish.

One of the biggest challenges of this project is creating this blog. I’m still learning how to put one together, but I'm having a great time learning.

Note: While working on this project I reinforced partnerships and made strong connections with other community groups. I received an email from Westside Health Clinic requesting information about our library programs for them to post. And a Latin American Community Center, director thank me during our phone conversation for forming a partnership with them. The LACC, in Wilmington, provides social services to the Hispanic community.