2000 Diversity Fair

Contents

• Programs and Services to Children, Youth and Families
  
• Programs and Services to New and Non-Readers
  
• Programs and Services to People Discriminated Against
  
• Programs and Services to People Discriminated Against Due to Age
  
• Programs and Services to People Discriminated Against Due to Race, Ethnicity or Language
  
• Programs and Services to People Who are Geographically Isolated
  
• Programs and Services to Rural and Urban Poor People
  
• Programs and Services Offered by the American Library Association

The University of Michigan's Library has actively pursued partnership opportunities to further its campus' diversity efforts for 15 years. These partnerships have helped the University Library translate its commitment to diversity into actionable programs and services, as well as to develop strong connections with its internal, campus, local and national communities. This Diversity Fair display will outline examples of these collaborative programs and services including:

• Internal Partnerships
  Librarian Mentorship Program--a two tiered program to support transitions into the University of Michigan, and to build professional skills
  Brown Bag Lunch Programs--an ongoing monthly series of films, panels, speakers addressing different aspects of diversity
   
• Campus-Wide Partnerships
  Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Symposium—program collaborators include School of Information, Office of Academic and Multicultural Affairs and the Information Technology Division
  Dental Library Programs—an ongoing series of initiatives including theme exhibits, participation in the Dental School's Multicultural Affairs Committee, dissemination of diversity-related news via web and newsletter media
  
• National Partnerships
  
  Black Caucus/Reforma Conference Support
  
  ALA/ARL Joint Diversity Officer Visit

Broward County Library's American Heritage Series introduces the public to the cultures of the world through folkloric programs, forums, cultural celebrations, exhibits, publications, services and outreach programming. There are more than 160 ethnic communities in Broward County. A specific goal of programming is to partner with cultural and educational organizations that are ethnic or cultural in their focus. The library also partners with other major cultural and governmental agencies to produce services that meet the needs of this diverse community.

The American Heritage Series is supported by a grant from the Broward Public Library Foundation. This grant allows the library to pay for the services of local presenters, purchase cultural artifacts, books, and ethnic foods. Programming is multi-faceted and intergenerational. Annual monthly celebrations include Hispanic Heritage, Women's History, African-American History, Native American Heritage, Asian-Pacific Heritage and Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. Programs that focus on literary diversity include the Mangrove Café, a literacy coffeehouse for adults, featuring local and national authors, and world music. Literary Sunday at the library is a YA program that highlights the works of international literacy luminaries. A New Comers Program coordinator facilitates services for new immigrant populations including Green Card Renewal Services provided by INS (Immigration Naturalizing Service) at the Main Library. A "Welcome Home Newsletter" is published quarterly in six languages and speaks to issues that effect new immigrant populations. The Pan African Bookfest and Cultural Conference is a collaboration with a Miami-Dade cultural organizations that's focus is on issues affecting people of African descent around the world. And, Moonlight Tales, Jazz and Java is an adult storytelling cabaret featuring storytellers of various ethnic backgrounds.

The above are just some of the types of services and programs that represent Broward County Library's "diversity in action". The program process is replicable. More than 210,000 were serviced by the library's American Heritage Series in 1999.

Arctic Partnership.
Initiative Contact Information

The Inupiat Eskimos of northern Alaska live in a beautifully pristine arctic wilderness in relative physical isolation. Providing library services would be nearly impossible without the cooperation of more than half a dozen different organizations and agencies. The Tuzzy Consortium Library and the North Slope Borough School District have become partners to provide the eight communities of the North Slope Borough with school and public library services in a model program. Building, personnel, and resources are all shared in a cooperative program unlike any other n the United States. While there are other instances of school/community libraries, the unique manner in which the North Slope library services are funded and delivered makes the arrangement worth a detailed look.

The Storm Lake (Iowa) Public Library's Book Brides program "bridges the gap" between the many facets of our community of 9000. Recent demographic changes created great need for educational and cultural services. Limited library programming funds necessitated seeking community partnerships to meet those needs. Book Bridges is the result, successfully uniting worlds that would otherwise remain separate.

Participants in Book Bridges include children, young adults, adults, families, the elderly, Hispanics, Caucasians, disabled adults, homeschoolers, and homebound individuals. Community partners include Storm Lake Community Schools, Friends of the Library, Witter Gallery of Art, Genesis Development Center for Disabled Adults, two nursing homes, 14 preschools, local Hispanic and Asian leaders and organizations, First Books, Iowa Humanities Council, and Buena Vista University.

Book Bridges programming includes story times, bilingual programming, book discussion groups, curriculum support, book delivery, and many other educational and cultural activities for all ages, races, and walks of life.

A tribute titled, "Celebrating Equity and Empowerment: The Contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King" provided the Task Force (established August 1999) its first Sunrise Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration sponsored by the World Book Company on Monday, January 17, 2000 at the ALA Midwinter Meeting in San Antonio Texas.

ALA President Sarah Ann Long and ALA Past President Dr. E.J. Josey (1984-1985), Black Caucus-ALA founder, and keynote speaker, led a program that included readings from various committees, round tables, and affiliate organizations focused on diversity. The acclaimed program promoted the Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) King Holiday Task Force effort toward collaborative holiday participation of library professionals "of diverse racial, ethnic, social, and economic groups in public and private library institutions and organizations" as charged in the mission of its parent organization – The National Library Involvement Committee, The Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday Commission (Sunset, September 1996).

For information on the 2001 Celebration which will be held during on Monday, January 15th, from 6:30 - 7:30a.m. in the Washington Convention Center during ALA's Midwinter Meeting, visit www.ala.org/olos/events/

Century Scholarship: Celebrating a New Century that Celebrates Diversity.
Initiative Contact Information

People with disABILITIES, over 20 % of the U.S., over 30 % of at-risk populations, and increasing, is a diverse group virtually all of us join sooner or later, from birth, accident, illness, war, natural disaster, lifestyle, or just by aging. "They"-historically facing discrimination, 70 % unemployed, despite an eagerness to work-ARE Us. Only when PEOPLE with disABILITIES are properly represented in and served by our profession, can our diversity reflect the communities we serve.

The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies' (ASCLA'S) Century Scholarship (http://www.ala.org/ascla/centuryscholarship.html) assists students who happen to have disABILITIES successfully complete ALA-accredited library school programs and become active professionals.

A Century Award is being proposed to honor authors who portray PEOPLE with disABILITIES-Us, who share the same hopes and dreams, as PEOPLE first.

Once we view diversity as correctly defined: as being different, however our differences are manifested, we will empower ourselves to realize Century's theme: "Celebrating a New Century that Celebrates Diversity."

Connecting Adult New Readers With Literature and Literacy.
Initiative Contact Information

McMinnville Public Library has just completed a yearlong outreach project to adult new readers from Mexico, Central America, Europe, and Asia, whose native language is not English.

Through an NEH and ALA grant, the library offered the National Connections program, a reading and discussion series based on children's literature for new readers. This program was a team effort of the library, Chemekata Community College, the Oregon Council for the Humanities and Portland State University.

The grant provided books for participants, training for team members, and funds for the scholar/discussion leader. The theme of the first series of monthly discussions was biographies, and the second was friendship. Tutors were provided for reading tutorials between sessions and childcare, including an activity with library staff, was provided during the discussion sessions.

Participants received an introduction to library materials and services, and library cards. They acquired the reading habit, became library promoters, and continue to be active patrons.

Connecting with the Community: Evolution of an E-library.
Initiative Contact Information

The primary goal for the elibrary concept was to extend services to remote areas at a disadvantaged socio/economic level. The project began with a 14400 bps modem connection at one recreation center in the country, and has grown tremendously with the help of LSTA grants. The award-winning concept has extended library service to five very different communities. The elibraries which are located at area recreation centers have 2-4 computers that are able to access the library catalog, place items on hold, the items are then shipped to the patrons house. The computers also have access to specialty databases and allow new patrons to sign up for library cards.

Developing a Focused Minority Librarian Residency Program: The University of South Florida Experience.
Initiative Contact Information

In 1997 the University of South Florida Tampa Library's Diversity Committee proposed the establishment of a Minority Librarian Residency Program in support of both the University's commitment to institutional diversity and pluralism and the Library's desire to recruit a diverse faculty. After studying the residency programs currently in existence in academic libraries, the Tampa Library has designed a unique, one-year, focused career development program which will begin Fall, 2000 with an initial residency in the reference department. Subsequent residencies will involve professional opportunities in other library departments. The program will recruit from recent library school graduates and the USF School of Library and Information Science is actively involved in the initiative. The proposed poster session will outline strategies for planning a specialized residency, recruiting and selecting potential candidates from underrepresented groups and funding.

Baruch College has the largest enrollment of international students among master's institutions in the U. S. As the literature documents, and experience at Baruch confirms, library orientation is especially difficult for international students, due to limited proficiency, differences in libraries abroad, and cultural adjustments that students face. To improve the orientation experience and support recruitment of international students, the Newman Library developed a multilingual Web-based tour in partnership with student cultural organizations.

The tour is available in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Polish, Russian, Greek, and Turkish. The College informs prospective and incoming international students about the tour enabling them to learn about the library before arriving on campus. The self-paced virtual tour in the student's native language also reinforces what was learned during an on-site tour. Similar collaboration with student organizations may be used by other libraries to increase international student's interest in the library and knowledge of its resources.

Día de los Niños / Día de los Libros.
Initiative Contact Information

April 30th is Dia de los Ninos/Dia de los Libros, a day to celebrate children, books, culture, and family learning. Author and poet Pat Mora conceived the annual event as a way to instill new learning traditions centered on books and family learning. The event provides wonderful opportunities for libraries to reach out to our children and families who are not traditional library users. From Salt Lake City, Utah, to Portland, Oregon, to Austin, Texas, REFORMA members, in conjunction with participating libraries, have partnered with community organizations and built awesome collaborative with which to build their foundation of support. The efforts have led to extremely successful events aimed at reaching out to multilingual children and families.

Diversity in Action: A Librarian Exchange Program.
Initiative Contact Information

Studies in providing of information literacy access are currently being conducted during an exchange of librarians from west Virginia State College (WVSC) and the National University of Benin (NUB). This exchange program, funded by the United Negro College Fund, is being conducted during the years 1999 to 2002. Librarians from each of these academic institutions are exchanging work environments, experiencing cultural diversities and learning different languages.

During the Diversity Fair, WVSC librarians outlined barriers, difficulties and successes of the current exchange program and presented research conducted during the first two WVSC librarian exchanges. Librarians discussed the creation of information access in areas of Benin deprived of print and electronic resources, computers, and public library service and borrowing privileges. In addition, information literacy workshops conducted in Benin for students, teachers, and librarians and the surrounding community was discussed.

Diversity in Action: Creating a Welcoming Work Environment.
Initiative Contact Information

Workplace diversity is one of the most difficult issues to address in an organization. In order to embrace diversity, libraries need to find ways to not only bring the awareness of diversity to the workplace environment, but also to involve library staff in discussions to address issues of diversity. While there are various ways of addressing issues of diversity in the workplace, this presentation will demonstrate how the Oberlin College Library has successfully managed to address these issues through the establishment of a diversity committee and through the initiatives and programs coordinated by the committee since its formation in 1995. Examples include the creation of diversity goals for the library and the recommended action document prepared by the Diversity Committee for the library administration. This presentation will highlight descriptions of and ideas for programs such as diversity workshops, discussion sessions, Brown Bag lunch talks, and surveys.

The Ethnic Resource Center of California (ERCC) web site provides online access to information and resources to meet the needs of California's diverse population. A major emphasis of the site is to provide survival information on selected topics to improve the quality of life for targeted groups.

The ERCC currently provides access to:

1. Healthy Mom/Healthy Baby, an online source of bilingual information about pregnancy and childbirth targeted at Hispanic women, ages 18-35 with low literacy levels.
   
   
2. Understand the Law, an online source of basic legal information for recent immigrants. The site
   is targeted for use by service providers and professionals working with immigrant communities and is available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Korean.
   
   
3. The African-American Museum and Library, a collection of photographs highlighting African-American history in entertainment, architecture, railroads and music.
   

The Ohio library community has an ongoing commitment to increasing awareness of diversity and to creating partnerships that incorporate diversity into library services and practices. In 1997, the Ohio Library Council and the State Library of Ohio produced a highly-successful recruitment video "Me, A Librarian?" This year Ohio will hold its first statewide diversity in our patrons, staff, and resources comes great opportunity. Conference sessions will focus on these opportunities, including forging partnerships to serve the digitally divided, library programming for diverse communities, cultural communication, and marketing to diverse clientele. The conference will end with a multicultural book fair that is open to the public.

Vision: To develop and implement a transferable model for a school yearlong reading incentive program at a tribal school.

Mission: To assist the Indian community in increasing literacy skills while preserving Native American identity.

Goals:

1. To encourage reading for pleasure.
   
2. To encourage intergenerational reading.
   
3. To provide opportunities to communicate about reading.
   
4. To promote library usage.
   
5. To document the impact of a reading program.
   
6. To provide opportunities to thematically explore reading.
   
7. To increase reading skills
   
8. To improve the library collections.
   

1. To sponsor four thematic reading programs during the 1999-2000 school year.
   
2. To increase youth leisure reading.
   
3. To provide a safe electronic chat room available for Native American students, educators and adult Native American mentors to discuss reading.
   

Memphis/Shelby County Public Library and Information Center is committed to our mission of satisfying the customer's need to know. As our community grows and becomes more diverse, identifying the customer and determining his needs becomes a more complex process due to cultural and/or linguistic differences, socioeconomic barriers, and geographical concerns. Thus, we have developed an initiative that addresses those concerns and enables us to fulfill our mission.

InfoBUS is a state-of-the-art, mobile branch library that is designed to work with multicultural populations. We offer stops in communities with little or no access to traditional public library facilities and are committed to providing service to family members of all ages. In order to be successful in reaching those communities, InfoBUS collaborates with existing agencies in those communities (schools, daycare centers, apartment complexes, social service agencies, etc.) to make connections. Through these collaborative efforts, we have been substantially successful in reaching our intended customer base.

InfoBUS provides a variety of resources in foreign languages most notably Spanish. There is a particular emphasis on English as a Second Language in order to aid new community members with their transition to an English speaking environment. Through a generous grant from the State of Tennessee's LSTA program, we have developed a sizeable collection of culturally relevant materials in print, audio, video and CD-ROM formats. Also, we conduct a family literacy program called Mothered that is available in both English and Spanish.

In addition, we recognize that access to technology is a critical issue for our clientele. Thus, we have equipped InfoBUS with four public access computers with Internet connectivity and office software in order to meet the information literacy needs of our customers. To support this end, wed offer basic computer training to our customers.

Libraries in predominantly rural settings and/or libraries serving ethnically diverse communities will find that mobile service provides an opportunity to connect with communities. Immigrant communities often have not had exposure to free public libraries in their countries of origin. Our visibility in select locations provides them with the opportunity to become aware of what libraries have to offer.

The library has initiated an extensive range of services and programs to demonstrate "diversity in action." Since 1992, the library has worked with the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Resources, to sponsor four Community Outreach Centers. At these centers, newcomers to the United States find an introductory level of library programs, services, materials and an awareness of resources at the Central and Branches.

The Library's "Libraries Include Everyone" initiative is designed to recognize and respond to the cultures and languages of children, youth and families, and to foster the building of community within the County. This initiative has created system-wide, coordinated efforts of planning, collection development, and programming of library services to Arlington residents of all cultural. Partnership with other county agencies, public schools and organizations increased the effectiveness of the efforts.

Partnering with Arlington Public Schools involve the library in many programs and services. Some of these are: library card drives, Spanish-language informational sessions with parents, Summer Quest, Alternatives for Parenting Teens, HILT-High Intensity Language Training, New Directions Program, Hispanic PTA, the Family Education Center, SOAR-Selections of Arlington Readers and TAB-Teen Advisory Board, and the Career Center.

Other county units we collaborate with are the Department of Human Services-Family Services/Parent Education Division, the Fenwick Clinic-maternity and immunization services, Project Family-Developmental Play Group, After School Teen Connection and ALIANZA-Arlington County Hispanic Employees Association. ALIANZA members facilitate our Spanish-language book discussion sessions.

Organizations in the community are very effective allies. We partner with REEP-Arlington Education and Employment Program, Inlingual Language Service Center, Ethiopian /Community Development Group, American-Peruvian Chamber of Commerce, HACAN-Hispanics Against Child Abuse and Neglect, El Hispano (newspaper), and New English Readers.

The most prominent collaborative effort has been the establishment of the CyberCenter, a community technology center, or learning laboratory. The CyberCenter is located in a branch library where there are economic, educational, or linguistic needs in the service community. The Center offers 8 work stations, providing basic computer skills instruction, literacy and language software, free Internet access, Microsoft Word, Excel and programs for managing small businesses.

Library-School Partnership for Schools in Rural Poor Isolated Ekpoma Community in Nigeria, West Africa.
Initiative Contact Information

Ekpoma, Nigeria, is a rural isolated community. Students are plagued by inadequate educational resources, low literacy level, inability to secure resources to complete assignments, lack of conducive home environment to complete school assignment, lack of assistance with assignment at home, and low literate parents. The library, school, and the community formed a partnership to address these problems. The librarians, teachers and students conducted a needs assessment, a committee comprising of librarians, students, teachers, and community members developed a plan to deal with the identified diverse needs of the students.

During implementation, library activities included issuance of library cards to students, acquisitions of resources to help student complete assignments, reading spaces provided for students, mobile library tracks visits to rural isolated schools, reference services provided to students and teachers, and talks on education supervision delivered by individuals in the community to parents. Some of the results included more students completed their assignments successfully, students use of the library increased, teachers and students used library resource center more, more students were motivated to read, parents became more involved with their children's education, and community members volunteered in the library. Presenter and participants discussed how the Ekpoma Plan could be adopted and/or modified to be used in rural poor isolated communities in the U.S. and other countries.

Literacy Inititive. (This was Dale's booth).


Local LD Partnership Initiative.
Initiative Contact Information

Local public libraries and learning disabilities advocates have been forming partnerships to ensure that appropriate resources are available to the community. This display will highlight some model projects, including one that raised $10,000 for the local library. How-to information for libraries and basic resource lists will be distributed.

This poster session presents Miss Papangelis's new book about diversity in academic libraries Mounting a Diversity Initiative (Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, 2000). Part I outlines the steps of mounting a diversity initiative from getting commitment from above to library décor. Part II outlines how service can be improved to patrons belonging to racial minorities, international students, students with disabilities, nontraditional students, gay/lesbian/bisexual/transsexual/transgendered students, and women students.

As part of QBPL's Strategic Direction that "Children and Teens in Queens access the educational and information resources they need to be successful" a staff committee has been preparing a series of order lists for the past three years so that Children's Room collections will reflect the full range of human diversity as reflected in current children's literature. Going beyond the obvious racial, ethnic and cultural definitions of diversity, this bibliography includes topics such as family structure and problems, chronic illness and death, physical appearance, disabilities, gender issues, urban and rural lifestyles, the immigrant experience in America, bilingual books for family reading, religious diversity, and more. With funds form the Carnegie Foundation, Queens Library is now able to publish these annotated lists to share with others in the profession.

Boulder Public Library Outreach focuses on Poetry Events recognizing poets with diverse language and cultural backgrounds. Community members enjoy poetry readings as well as personal contact with poets.

Two examples of these events are:
"Ambidextrous, In Two Languages" by poet Joe Navarro, who combines his experiences as a writer, community activist and teacher to reflect the daily experiences of Chicanos striving for a humanistic identity. (August 8, 1999) and

"A Celebration of 50 Years of Writing-Honoring Humanitarian and Poet Laureate of the Chicano Movement Abelardo 'Lalo' Delgado." Evening of live music, poetry reading, and film screening. Mr. Delgado is the recipient of numerous national and international awards recognizing his literacy and artistic achievements as well as his human and civil rights involvement. Letters by fellow poets and community activists were read aloud. The audience was much larger than expected and a sizable number stood for the entire event. (November 18, 1999)

Promoting Cultural Diversity through Library Exhibition.
Initiative Contact Information

California State University Northridge Library held an exhibition highlighting the beauty of Korean art and culture during April and May of 1999. It took roughly 6 months of planning prior to the opening of the exhibition. These plans included communicating with the faculty members who have interest in Korean studies, contacting community members for support, identifying potential sponsors and donors; selecting and acquiring items to exhibit, securing funding support, and preparing press releases, invitations, exhibition installation, and programs and activities for the opening reception.

The opening reception attracted over 300 people and thousands of library patrons enjoyed the display during the month-long exhibition. This exhibition became the first in a series of events to promote understanding of Korea under the banner of "Korean Culture at CSUN". A web page was created showcasing the exhibition.

The Farmington Community Library has joined with the State of Michigan, Department of Education, to distribute free R.E.A.D.Y. kits to parents/caregivers of children from birth through five years of age. The R.E.A.D.Y. initiative is an effort to help children begin school with the skills necessary for learning to read, by building partnerships with parents as their children's first and most important teacher. The Michigan Department of Education has developed these brightly colored, durable boxes, filled with information and resources for four different age groups. Each kit contains a set of activity cards, a children's book, an age-appropriate book list, a booklet and video describing brain development, a children's music cassette, and a description of the free preschool learning programs available at the Farmington Community Library. The library, with the support of many community agencies, has promoted these kits through newspaper articles, library displays, and newsletters.

Reaching Out Exponentially to Oakland Youth.
Initiative Contact Information

Following the goals and objectives of its 10-year Strategic Plan for Library services to urban youth, Oakland Public Library has been engaged in an extensive outreach campaign to meet the informational needs of its diverse youth which continues to impact the city of Oakland in its commitment to deliver efficient services at the least cost. ?Thus, continuing its effective role as a social change agency, the Oakland Public Library has developed several collaborative community-based approaches to deal with the socioeconomic fluctuations of its low-income ethnic populations while at the same time increasing the individual leadership skills of its dynamic young people through numerous library programs.

Starting at the neighborhood level for several years, the Oakland Public Library has implemented numerous PASS remedial instructional programs at different library sites to address the after-school academic needs of its divers students from K-12th grades. For example, reinforcing the available educational services from various local public and private as well as charter schools, numerous teen mentors have been trained by college-level site coordinators to tutor a large student population from the elementary and intermediate levels on their specific school assignments during the regular school year; following current educational trends and cutbacks in California, some homeschoolers have also taken advantage of these collaborative efforts between various branch libraries and the surrounding educational institutions.

Also, working with generous funds from its Friends groups and a special grant from the DeWitt-Readers Digest Foundation, the Oakland Public Library staff has been able to attract a large segment of teen library users from different multicultural backgrounds to put together a "for/by teen" Youth Leadership /council which has determined the successful outcomes of both a teen summer reading program and end of the teen summer reading program celebration; several teen focus groups, which will continue to provide advisory feedback to OPL library commission and teen services committee on various youth library programs were also formed from both the YLC membership and activities such as organizational planning meetings.

In addition, following the city-wide shifts of its different ethnic populations during recent years, the Oakland Public Library was able to obtain a large LSTA grant form the California State Library to enhance significantly its teen collection materials at 5 branch libraries with a wide assortment of both English and Foreign language books, videos, CDs, magazines, and audiobooks.

Reading Partners: ESL and the Library/LRC.
Initiative Contact Information

This initiative involved integration of ESL collections into the Main Library collection; increased awareness by library staff of the ESL student's information needs for research and pleasure reading. ESL faculty members and the Library staff promoted reading activities by cooperating to purchase, catalog and circulate reading materials of interest to the 80 countries and cultures in this urban, commuter community college environment. At an annual Celebration of Reading, students were acknowledged for their book reporting to other students and participated in selecting items for the collections. There are now 600 titles and ongoing selection among the other ESL faculty as well as instruction in online searching for faculty and students.

Respecting & Celebrating Ethnic and Religious Cultures.
Initiative Contact Information

The Wheelock College Library carries out the College mission to improve the quality of life for children and their families. Wheelock College values diversity in age, gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, and ethnicity. With respect and awareness of the community we serve, the entire community is also sensitive to the observance of winter holidays on campus. The goal is to enable individuals and groups to express their ideas and beliefs relating to the winter holidays without interfering with the ideas and beliefs of others.

Members of the College community are invited to loan a personal holiday children's book to the Library. A display is assembled using the loaned books as well as library materials, an annotated bibliography is compiled, and a reception is hosted for the entire community. Attendance at this annual event has increased over the past few years. It offers a way for people to come together and make meaningful connections with different members of the community.

Rutgers University Libraries Build Community: Partnerships to Support Diversity.
Initiative Contact Information

Demonstrates Rutgers University Libraries outreach activities ranging from the establishment of a Global Outreach Services Position in the academic environment to serve various multicultural communities. Reflects partnerships developed locally in the New Brunswick community, with New Jersey Corporate sector, with the ALA Outreach Services, and in the International arena. Examples of these projects are:

1. Rutgers New Brunswick Sister Cities Program with Fukui/Tsuroka, Japan
   
   
2. Plainfield Community Services with Rutgers University and Princeton University's "Religion and Diversity Lecture"
   
   
3. InRoads of Central New Jersey, Incorporated Conference with the goal of developing internships for minority students. InRoads is a consortium of international corporations that seek to develop a viable workforce through paid internships
   
   
4. "Global Outreach Services in Academic Libraries" Symposium with Satia Orange, Director of ALA's Office for Literacy and Outreach Services (OLOS) in conjunction with Rutgers University Global Programs Office, Rutgers Career Placement Services, the African Studies Association, and the Center for African Studies
   
   
5. "Listening to Africa-The role of the Zimbabwe International Book Fair" Symposium with Margaret Ling, Director of Promotions and Sales for distribution African publications in North America, Europe and the Americas. Ms. Ling was from the London Office and represented the Zimbabwe International Book /Fair.

This project pairs an at-risk reluctant middle school student with a university student enrolled in LS 362, Literature for Young Adults. The mentoring is done through site visits, approximately once per month, and intervening correspondence done via email correspondence. The mentor partners read several books in common over the course of the semester and do joint projects over the books. Audiotape versions of the books are available for the less able, more reluctant readers in the middle school. This program has been in place for the past 5 years and has been underwritten by grants from English, library, reading, and technology organizations. Students involved in this program have passed state mandated exams, passed English and reading classes, and MOST IMPORTANTLY graduated from high school. Our program was recently featured in SLJ.

Serve the Underserved.
Initiative Contact Information

ALA Editions, the publishing imprint of the American Library Association, serves the library and information services community with a comprehensive and authoritative list of books and software products. As a progressive publisher, ALA Editions seeks to equip all librarians with tools they can use to reach out to all segments of society.

Spanish for Librarians.
Initiative Contact Information

Over the last three years nine library facilities of Forsyth County Public Library in North Carolina have begun to carry Spanish language materials to serve a rapidly growing immigrant population, most of who barely speak English. Since only a handful of staff members has a working ability with Spanish, an introductory training was presented in the fall and winter of 1999-2000 to all interested staff.

The training was planned and presented by Jon Sundell, head of Hispanic Services. In order to accommodate the busy schedule of staff members, this introduction was short, consisting of two three hour sessions and an optional third session for a little additional practice. The first session focused on pronunciation, present verb formation, general vocabulary and courtesies, and a few cultural issues. The second session presented library vocabulary, phrases, and dialogs related to reference and registration/circulation situations.

All participants received an extensive 35 page manual, a cassette tape of its contents, a dictionary, and a variety of Spanish work forms. The manual is organized to serve as a working reference tool. A more in depth series of eight sessions will be offered this fall permitting practice and limited mastery; in the meantime, informal lunchtime sessions are being organized.

Fifty-five out of ninety-six full time employees elected to take the course. All rated it highly and seem to feel it improved their understanding of the language and the people. Several of the participants have enthusiastically reported real progress in communicating with Spanish speaking patrons. The course and its manual are very applicable to other libraries working with Spanish speaking patrons.

Specially for Seniors.
Initiative Contact Information

Although the title of the series, "Specially for Seniors" delineates a specific group, you can't be certain who will show up for these Ela Library programs. Offered Tuesday afternoons, this series was created in 1995 so patrons would experience the library as a center for entertainment and education. Four generations of one family have attended several of these "senior" programs and home school families often participate. Performers include professional musicians and talent through local schools, such as dance troupes and specialized music groups. Even seniors may find themselves "center stage" which brings a richness in the types of performers while keeping the budget reasonable.

As patrons from outreach sites arrive, they are greeted by Outreach Coordinator Christy Wagner. She works with all of her outreach sites in mind as she plans and develops the series. With outreach sites as diverse as a retirement center for the Sisters of Queen of Peace to members of the Lake Zurich Senior Citizens Club, it is important to be sensitive to the special transportation needs the audience has.

The Spectrum Scholarship Initiative.
Initiative Contact Information

Our nation's demographics demonstrate significant increases in minority populations, but about 5% of future librarians come from diverse backgrounds. For children and adults to find librarians like themselves, we must continue ALA's effort through the Spectrum Initiative to ensure greater diversity in our profession and bring the unique contributions of people of color into librarianship.

At the Diversity Fair, we will have information for your library about recruiting and retaining minorities and for potential Spectrum candidates about the scholarship program. Spectrum supplies $5,000 for any minority student to an accredited library program. Many programs have added support. One hundred fifty Scholars have already been educated by Spectrum.

We also need your help to continue the campaign for the continuation of Spectrum. We need the financial contribution of your library, state library association, state library and other persons or organizations whom you are willing to contact because you know they want to keep Spectrum a priority for ALA. Please join us now by getting involved. Receive a packet of information that will help you make a difference in the profession and in a future librarian's career. Contact spectrum@ala.org or visit our web-site, www.ala.org/spectrum for more information.

Successful Techniques for a Library Sponsored Multicultural Lecture Series.
Initiative Contact Information

In order to promote cultural awareness, the Marvin Library chose a leadership role by coordinating a lecture series focusing on multicultural issues. This lecture series received little interest from the campus community at its inception three years ago. To ensure a successful program, librarians sought ways for improvement. Our program highlights these successful strategies.

Relevant topics include the following: organizing issues (a committee that originated with three librarians, but developed to a larger external committee); advertising techniques (a promotional campaign that employs the use of the library web page and other creative methods); identifying prospective speakers (a plan to use prominent community members); and budgetary issues (one that grew from zero to several thousand dollars). The present "Voices at Hudson Valley Community College: A library Lecture Series" which celebrates Black History Month, Women's History Month and Native American Heritage Month is a successful, well attended series.

Diversity is being discussed everywhere you turn, and for librarians, who must provide instruction and /or assistance to those of other backgrounds, the library literature provides little to no help in finding techniques to help in this endeavor. Not wanting the diverse students to feel as though the library is as Jorge Luis Borges described it—a Tower of Babel—the ACRL IS Instruction for Diverse Populations Committee has developed useful readings and culled "Tips of the Trade" for librarians to use as they approach new instructions. The group investigated African-Americans, non-traditional students, students with disabilities, Latinos/Chicanos/Hispanics, Asian-Americans, International students, First-generation students, and Students with varying sexual orientations. The "Tips of the Trade", culled from the readings, should provide invaluable to anyone looking for some basic information about a particular diverse group, and make the preparation for, and the instruction itself, should make a success in every respect.

Toward a diverse profession: Recruitment and Mentoring for a Diverse Information Science Program.
Initiative Contact Information

The UCLA Department of Information Studies (IS) Diversity Council's Diversity Recruitment and Mentoring Committee (DRMC) accomplished much its first year. Comprised of UCLA faculty, students, staff, alumni, and local librarians, and information professionals, DRMC began its mission of ensuring a more diverse student and faculty population in librarianship, and promoting mentoring activities for new and continuing students. Toward accomplishing this task, DRMC developed both a web-site and discussion list and sponsored a seminar for library paraprofessionals interested in the information profession. The seminar resulted in the creation of a database for assessing the needs of paraprofessionals in pursuing an MLIS degree.

In addition, members of DRMC attended conferences such as the Black Caucus of ALA and the California Library Association to raise awareness of the UCLA IS program and encourage applications.