OLA Annual Conference 2017

Helping our communities thrive by providing free opportunities and friendly guidance to people of all ages and backgrounds is a high priority for all types of libraries. In order to meet this goal, Multnomah County Library hires bilingual staff and has built collections of materials to serve people in our community who speak one of the five languages spoken most often in our county: Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, and Somali. MCL connects immigrant communities to information and resources they need to be successful in the United States, like learning English, building job and technology skills, preparing for citizenship, and attaining educational goals.

This presentation will discuss: the history, mission, and goals of Multnomah County Library We Speak Your Language services; the communities we serve; why these services are so important; examples of programs, events, and outreach; ways staff engage and connect with patrons; and how our efforts support and contribute to a thriving community. MCL staff will share their personal experiences contributing to our communities and helping them thrive. Session attendees will learn about MCL’s strategies for providing language and cultural focused services and receive information and inspiration they can apply to the programs that serve their own local communities.