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Next World Languages Networking Group Meeting
September 24, 2014The government census data of 2012 shows that over 50% of the population of Illinois are immigrants. They work and pay taxes and significantly contribute to the operation of our libraries. However, many immigrants do not use the services that libraries offer because of cultural and languages barriers which discourage them from coming to our libraries. Identifying ways to overcome these barriers and making library services and materials more appealing to immigrant communities are the goals of the World Languages Networking Group (WLNG).
The WLNG was initially started as a networking group of the North Suburban Library System (NSLS). After NSLS disbanded, several group members decided to continue the meetings. Two years ago, the new chairs of the group, Gina Sheade of the Vernon Area Public Library and Aldona Salska of the Prospect Heights Public Library, changed the format of the meetings to make them more productive and informative. Each meeting is now devoted to a specific topic ranging from collection development for particular languages to promotion and programing. At each meeting there is a presentation by an expert in the designated subject, followed by a sharing of experiences and resources by the librarians present. To date, our meetings have focused on collecting materials in Polish, Russian, Korean, Chinese, Spanish, and Indian languages.
The next meeting of the World Languages Networking Group will be October 22nd at the Prospect Heights Public Library, 12 N. Elm St., Prospect Heights, Illinois, from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon. We will discuss methods for reaching out to immigrant communities, multicultural and ESL programing, and developing ESL collections. The main speaker at the meeting will be Carmen Patlan of the Waukegan Public Library. In 2013, this library received the National Medal for Museum and Library Service in recognition of the outstanding services and programs the library provides to its large Latino community. Kathryn Dowd of Harper College library will talk about developing ESL collections. Anyone interested in these issues is invited to join us. Please click here to RSVP.