Serving Diverse Communities
By Greg Pronevitz

NMRLS sponsored a number of activities related to a grant project to assist member libraries in serving Spanish-speaking communities. One of the activities was to host informal brown-bag lunch discussions on serving diverse communities. We will continue to hold this lunch twice a year. The next brown-bag lunch is scheduled for May 11, 2006 - 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM. We have not chosen a location yet. This event will be announced in NMRLS online Continuing Education Calendar.

At our most recent meeting, it was suggested that NMRLS continue to hold training to help library staff deal with diversity--both patrons and fellow staff members. We are working to identify an appropriate trainer on this topic.

We also discussed the Community Leader Interview process that was suggested by our trainer, Yolanda Cuesta. We worked with several libraries and a local consultant to create a template to assist libraries in conducting interviews with community leaders. The process is designed to allow a library to gather information about the needs and expectations of diverse communities in its service area. A copy of the template is available at NMRLS Diversity Services Web site: www.nmrls.org/diversity/index.htm.

Serving Spanish-Speaking Communities: Grant Report

We sponsored two meetings for interested parties with special attention to attract nine targeted communities: Everett, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Methuen, Peabody, Revere, and Salem. At the first meeting, stakeholders recommended a series of three different seminars aimed at the following audiences: front-line staff, program planners and public relations implementers, and managers. We decided to hold the front-line staff session twice because it had the largest potential audience. In addition participants suggested a bilingual library materials sharing session. At our second meeting with stakeholders, Jean Canosa-Albano made a presentation on the work she does with bilingual programming and collection development at the Springfield City Library. Members shared copies of bilingual promotions and brochures; and discussed details of the LSTA Community Language Grant Program.

NMRLS hosted a focus group for directors of libraries in communities providing outreach and programs to underserved populations in conjunction with NMRLS strategic planning effort. The focus group report includes information on the needs of various populations, particularly underserved, the barriers or challenges that prevent libraries from playing that role, recommendations to reach out and serve these constituents, and the role of NMRLS and how NMRLS can support libraries in serving constituents. The recommendations related to serving and working with diverse populations included: facilitation of collaboration, help with public relations, and foreign language materials deposits. The needs discussed here will be part of our May 11th brown-bag lunch discussion.

NMRLS sponsored a series of four training seminars presented by Yolanda Cuesta of Cuesta MultiCultural Consulting. Ms. Cuesta is a nationally-known expert in the area of multiculturalism. The four sessions were attended by 95 individuals of whom 70 were staff members in the targeted communities. NMRLS staff attended each of the three different sessions and found the seminars to be very effective and well presented. Evaluations from attendees were overwhelmingly positive, complimenting both the content and presenter. NMRLS will follow up with a sample of attendees to determine what changes have resulted in the targeted libraries' workplace as a result of this training.

NMRLS will prepare a final report on the Serving Spanish-Speaking Communities Grant this spring. If you have any information about steps your library has taken to meet the needs of a diverse community that was, in some way, stimulated by this project, please send Greg Pronvitz a note.