WebJunction

In June and July 2004, WebJunction is exploring the American Library Association’s “Equity of Access” initiative, specifically as it relates to serving indigenous and new immigrant communities:

The Whys and Wherefores of Equal Access

• Equity of Access: Igniting a Passion for Change by Kathleen de la Peña McCook and Sonia Ramírez Wohlmuth, University of South Florida
• Diversity and Cultural Competency by Ghada Elturk, Boulder (CO) Public Library

Excerpts from From Outreach to Equity

Our focus features a set of excerpts from the American Library Association's new compendium, From Outreach to Equity (available for purchase here):

• InfoBUS: Serving Immigrant and Refugee Populations (Memphis, TN)
• Family Language Kit Program: Connecting with Immigrant Families (Hamilton, ON)
• Tribal Libraries Program of the New Mexico State Library
• Central Valley Digital Network (Central Valley, CA)

You'll find more about the book, and more on equity of access, at American Libraries magazine’s Web site (available to ALA members only)

On Wednesday, July 7, 2004, From Outreach to Equity editor Robin Osborne hosted a WebJunction live online discussion of the book and the best practices it describes.  She was joined by contributors to the book. Here's a downloadable archive of the event.

Materials on Outreach to Immigrant Communities

• Libraries for the Future and the Met Life Foundation have created an innovative immigrant outreach program called "Reading America"; we've got profiles of grant recipients from Rhode Island, Minnesota, and Arizona.
• A Colorado library tells how it has connected to the local Russian-speaking community in a big way.
• A step-by-step marketing plan lays out the process for reaching culturally diverse communities.

Tribal Libraries and Indigenous Communities

• Here’s a Native Bridge to WebJunction created by the University of Texas at Austin and a report on how the project was developed.
• Read this report (from From Outreach to Equity) on the New Mexico State Library’s tribal libraries programs.
• An indigenous story-telling project from Regina, Saskatchewan, and best-practice accounts from San Carlos, AZ, and Lillooet, BC.

Spanish-Language Computer Instruction

• We’ve put together a special report on Spanish-language classes for patrons across the country. 
• You'll find a growing collection of Spanish-language materials in our "Services to Spanish Speakers" section. Included are several useful Spanish-language instruction materials from the innovative program "BiblioRedes: Abre tu Mundo" of the Chilean Public Libraries.

Talk It Up

• Drop in on conversations about Serving New Immigrants and Outreach to Spanish Speakers on WebJunction’s message boards--or start a discussion of your own!

Other Resources

• The ALA’s Web site has lots more about Equity of Access, including this informational page and this brochure.  The ALA’s Office for Literacy and Outreach Services has programs for many underserved populations.
• Recruiting ethnically diverse librarians is a key element for reaching the goal of equal access:  here's a link to a Library Journal article, "The Diversity Mandate," that articulates issues and solutions.