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HOW TO HELP ESL PATRONS

Your Very First Day
Youve been newly hired by the Multnomah Country Library (MCL) (Wow! Unbelievable, your luck!) to work at the Holgate branch. This branch caters to all four target languages, and has a very diverse population. You are still a little intimidated by the idea of helping English as a Second Language (ESL) patrons, but youve been trained to be professional, and you are now thinking back and remembering all the things you were taught in library school classrooms and MCL staff training: All your hard work pays off! The patron is happy with your thoroughness and kindness.

Remembering Issues
MCL staff training taught you about the issues in dealing with an ESL patron. One, they may have come from a culture that didnt have public libraries, so they are entering a very unfamiliar situation. Two, they may see library staff as authority gures, which in their country, may have meant oppressors. Three, many times it is the children of ESL patrons who are the reason for the library visit. By having bilingual staff on hand, we are in a much better position to explain the amazing resources the library makes available to them as ESL immigrants. all four of these languages, available through their Target Language webpage. Several videos instruct patrons on how to use the library, in easy step-by-step directions; from getting a library card to nding and checking out materials. The site also lists the branches offering bilingual staff, collections, events & programs, storytimes, and other resources.

Smile Make Eye Contact Contact a Bilingual Staff Member - if needed* Use the Language Line* Introduce the MCL Webpage - Target Languages

Library Resources
After English, the most frequently spoken language by Multnomah County residents are Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, and Chinese. You know that the MCL website offers access in

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MULTNOMAH COUNTY
The 2010 Census shows how the face of our demographics are changing
Population 726,855 (Percentages by Ethnicity) White/Eastern European 75.3% Latino/Hispanic 10.9% Asian/Pacic Islander 6.6% Black/African American 6.0% Native American 1.2%

Needs Assessment
I n 2 0 0 4 , a c c o rd i n g t o t h e A m e r i c a n Community Survey, Multnomah Countys increasing diversity surpassed the national average, seeing a huge percentage increase in the populations of Russian, Chinese, and Vietnamese immigrants to the county. At the time, the library did not have one bilingual librarian serving any of these languages. Completed in 2006, MCLs needs assessment provided a blueprint to improve services to these ESL patrons, including the following: Increase Bilingual Staff - today the library has over 19 bilingual librarians serving at the 12 different branches. Improve Training - especially important for all staff at the branches serving minority populations. Grow the Library Collection - to match the needs of each library, MCL now earmarks ve percent of its collection budget to nonEnglish materials.

Expand Programs - including storytimes, computer classes, and lm series, MCL averages over 21 target programs monthly.

It is the responsibility of libraries to provide an equitable level of service to all members of their communities regardless of ethnic, cultural, or linguistic background. Providing library materials for ethnic, cultural and linguistic groups should not be seen as an "additional" or "extra" service, but as an integral part of every library's services.
American Library Association 2007

Moving Forward
As a result of MCLs efforts, from FY07 thru FY08, library card registrations for all four target language communities increased by 33.8 percent, while circulation of target materials increased by 26.8 percent. This shows, in real numbers, how choosing to make target languages a priority, MCL libraries were able to make a meaningful difference in peoples lives. It is very important that MCL continue to assess the needs of these target groups, especially relying on the new census data currently available. Community leaders must also become vocal advocates for these underserved populations. Not only is MCL setting the standard for equitability -- echoed a year later in 2007 by the ALA -- it is also providing a free service, invaluable to creating a more informed citizenry.

Bibliography
ALA Multicultural Guidelines. (2011). Retrieved at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/ resources/guidelines/guidemultilingual.cfm Burke, S.K. (2008). Use of public libraries by immigrants. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 48(2), 164-174. Language Line Services. (2011). Retrieved at http://www.languageline.com/ MisterBender13. (2011). , Unchildish fears. Retrieved at http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=1frm0IAhnD4

Multnomah County Public Library. (2011). Target Language Initiative. Retrieved at http://www.multcolib.org/services/languages/ history.html Queens Library Foundation. (2011). Helping New Americans Succeed. Retrieved at http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFK-Wzu-oiY Puente, M.A., Gray L., Agnew, S. (2008). The expanding library wall: Outreach to the University of Tennessees multicultural/international student population. Reference Services Review, 37(1), 30-43. U.S. Census Bureau. (2011). State & County QuickFacts. Retrieved at http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/ 41/41051.html

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Maria Powers Visakha Seon Betsy Summers

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