"Connecting with the Spanish-Speaking Community": A Professional Development Opportunity for Library Staff

The Latino community is the fastest growing demographic in the United States.  This growth is particularly noticeable in some areas, such as the South.  Libraries and librarians who are noticing growth in their Latino and Spanish-speaking communities may face a number of challenges in their work to provide quality outreach and services, particularly if they have limited or no bilingual/bicultural staff.  I have designed a 4-week, online course offered by the Library of Virginia that addresses such challenges and helps library staff learn how to overcome them.  The next session of the course begins October 1, and all of the information for registration is provided below.  I hope you will consider participating!  State agencies and other organizations interested in offering this course to their staff can contact me directly.

Connecting with Spanish-Speaking Communities

Taught by: Katie Cunningham

Cost: $25.00 for people in Virginia and $70.00 for people outside of Virginia

Offered: October 1 - 26, 2012

Course Overview: Through this 4 week online course, participants will increase their knowledge of the general library needs of Spanish-speaking communities and will develop strategies, resources and confidence they can use to reach out to this community and connect them with library services. Small groups will work together to develop an Outreach Plan for a library. The required reading, Serving Latino Communities, by Camila Alire and Jacqueline Ayala will be provided.

Prerequisite: The free online course Introduction to Moodle, which will be offered beginning September 10, 2012 and must be completed by September 26, 2012. When you sign up for this course you will automatically be signed up for Introduction to Moodle.

Instructor: Katie Cunningham has been serving Latinos and Spanish-speakers since she began working in libraries in 2005. Katie was a participant in the Webjunction Spanish Language Outreach (SLO) training program in 2007, and her work serving Spanish-speakers was recognized by Webjunction as the best outreach project by an SLO participant in 2008. She has designed numerous presentations to aid librarians and teachers serving Latinos and Spanish-speaking families. Katie is an active member of Reforma – The National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and Spanish-Speakers – serving on the Children and Young Adult Services Committee and as the 2012-13 President of the Southeast Chapter.  Katie is also an ALSC appointee to the 2013 Pura Belpré committee.  Katie now works as an independent training specialist and library consultant.  She regularly shares bilingual programming ideas, suggested books and storytelling resources on her blog " Es divertido hablar dos idiomas" available online at http://bilingualchildrensprogramming.blogspot.com/. 

Registration for this course is open.  We do require payment at the time of registration. We accept Visa and MasterCard.

For more information and a link to register for this course please contact: Enid Costleyenid.costley@lva.virginia.gov or 804.692.3765 or go to http://host5.evanced.info/lva/evanced/eventcalendar.asp and change the month to October and click on the course.