OLA Annual Conference 2017

Getting our hands on good books in Spanish is a perennial challenge! “Libros for Oregon” is here to help. “Libros for Oregon: Collections Connect Communities” is a two-year LSTA grant that supports Spanish-language collection development for participating Oregon libraries. The project’s goal is for Spanish-speaking Oregonians statewide -- especially in rural areas -- to have improved access to high quality, culturally relevant collections. The project has three parts: (1) form an Oregon library book-buying cooperative (with new participants each year) to purchase materials for members at the International Book Fair (FIL) in Guadalajara; (2) help participating libraries to develop and implement outreach plans for connecting their enhanced collections with their Hispanic/Latino communities; and (3) create a “Best of FIL” booklist (annotated to show US availability) for all Oregon libraries to use in collection development. Deborah Gitlitz, who is administering the grant, will report on the results of the planning year (ends June 2017); tell stories about the gargantuan FIL; answer questions; and explain how your library might apply to participate during 2017-18.