WebJunction

Description:

Spanish Language Outreach is for any library staff interested in learning specific, concrete steps they can take to improve their library's outreach efforts to identify and meet the needs of their local Spanish speakers. The information, tools, and techniques it contains will help you understand how to help bridge the digital divide that separates many Spanish speakers from the benefits of information technology.

The course contains best practices, case studies, and resources to support outreach. During the course, you will create your own outreach action plan that will define ways to build the partnerships and implement the outreach activities to reach and involve the Spanish-speakers in your community.

And be sure to join the WebJunction SLO group, where you connect with others to share ideas and questions about the course or outreach efforts.

Learning Goals

• Identify benefits of reaching out to Spanish speakers to increase access to library resources
• Identify challenges in helping to increase Spanish speakers access to public computers and technology
• Define culture, and how it impacts people's behavior and perceptions
• Identify five cultural differences between Anglo-American and Hispanic/Latino cultures
• Develop an action plan to build strong community partnerships and collaborate with a Spanish-speaking community
• List four techniques for marketing the public library and computers to a Spanish-speaking community
• Create a plan for developing a computer class for Spanish speakers in your library
• Identify online sources of curriculum materials for teaching computer skills to Spanish speakers
• Describe the difference between library-controlled and outcomes-based evaluations
• Select from six basic tools to gather information for your evaluation