One Community New Jersey: Diversity in Libraries Conference

Customer Service

ALA: Equity of Access
http://tinyurl.com/529cw
Use this checklist as guide for assessing how your library is addressing equity and setting goals for improvement.

Kuharets, I., Cahalan, B., & Gitner, F., eds. (2001). Bridging cultures: Ethnic services in the libraries of New York State. Albany: New York Library Association, Ethnic Services Round Table.
A compilation of 36 articles ranging from outreach to technology.

Kuharets, O., ed. (2001). Venture into cultures: A resource book of multicultural materials and programs. Chicago: American Library Association.
Sections featuring recommended African, Caribbean, Indian, Jewish, Korean, Latino, Middle Eastern, Native American, and Russian children’s books, audiovisual materials, and websites, as well as programming themes.

New Jersey Library Association Special Populations Section http://www.njla.org/sections/special_populations/newsletter.doc
Keep up with efforts to address services and collections for older adults, people with disabilities, new immigrants, prison inmates, and people wanting to learn how to read. The Special Populations Section is developing a list of model programs around the state as a follow-up to the Diversity Conference. In addition, this group is identifying librarians, support staff and trustees in the State who are willing to share their diversity, outreach, and special services expertise and knowledge with other library staffs.

Ocean County Library. Valuing Differences: Diversity Mission and Plan. http://oceancountylibrary.org/About/Diversity-Plan.htm
The history, goals, process, plan, and activities of this very well developed initiative are presented on the library’s website. For further information and analysis, look for Winston, M. (in press). Leadership diversity theory: a public library case study [of Ocean County Library], Public Library Quarterly, 28 pages.

Winston, M. & Dunne, J. (2001). Children's librarians: a research study of diversity and leadership. Public Library Quarterly, 19 (1), 23-38.
To reflect and relate with a community and to work from an array of perspectives, libraries seek diversity in staffing children’s services. Administrators will want also to promote effective leadership skills in children’s librarians, who manage such a wide range of activities and people. “…[T]he results of this study help to better define the nature of this professional specialty and its role in the leadership of public libraries and the provision of information services for children.”

Young Adult Library Services Association. Professional Development Topics: Multicultural Resources. http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/professsionaldev/multicultural.htm
Standards, online materials, bibliographies, and articles supporting service to teens of diverse identities and backgrounds.

Services to People with Different Abilities

American Library Association. Library Services for People with Disabilities.
http://www.ala.org/ala/ascla/asclaissues/libraryservices.htm
Basic commitment to equity of services, facilities, collections, technology, employment, library education.

Blind Readers’ Page
http://blindreaders.info/index.html
“This site is a guide to sources of information in alternative formats (braille, recorded cassettes, large print, e-texts, web audio) accessible by people with print disabilities--those with visual and physical handicaps as well as dyslexia. It is also a guide to information about blindness, visual handicaps and other physical handicaps...” Although some sites here are most appropriate for residents of Wisconsin, the majority are valuable to us all. Note the “Best Practices” links.

Common Questions about Assistive Technology in Libraries
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdelib/technology/ada.htm
Useful disability awareness and sensitivity training, products, and guides for accessible web design.

Disabilityinfo.gov
http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/digov-public/public/SiteMap.do
Federal information in detail on employment, education, housing, transportation, health, income support, technology, independent living, and civil rights.

Durham County Library Services and Materials for People with Disabilities http://www.durhamcountylibrary.org/ada.htm
An attractive, friendly, and helpful online brochure from a North Carolina system.

Internet Links, Services for People with Handicaps
http://www2.njstatelib.org/lbh/bhlinks.htm
Jobs, support groups, reading services, assistive devices, and technology referrals are available here.

New Jersey Library for the Blind and Handicapped
http://www2.njstatelib.org/lbh/index.htm
Described is the range of services. With a link to the National Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped Union Catalog.

NJ Post-Secondary Disability Support Directory http://adaptivetech.tcnj.edu/directory.html
A useful and unique directory compiled by the staff of the Adaptive Technology Center. The directory includes the current disability support information from every college and university in New Jersey, contact information for each college, their disability support staff and admission's office.

Quezada, S. (2003). Nothing about me without me: planning for services for people with disabilities. Public Libraries, Following ALA’s Planning for Results, Massachusetts developed templates with which librarians organize services for growing populations. This issue of Public Libraries is replete with articles about becoming responsive to people with disabilities of several kinds.

Rubin, R. (2001). Planning for library services to people with disabilities. Chicago: American Library Association.
Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act so that nobody is excluded from library services.

Seattle Public Library. Libraries for All
http://www.spl.org/lfa/central/pwgjan2000/pwg20000112-disability.html
What patrons with disabilities requested of a new building.

Within Our Reach
http://www.ntftd.org/report.htm
Costs of inclusiveness are shown to be minimal in comparison to benefits. Funding streams, education, and partnering potentialities are spelled out.

Services to Immigrants

The American Place
http://www.hplct.org/tap/TAP.htm
Services at the Hartford Public Library in Connecticut include a directory of immigration services, international internet sites, cultural venues (e.g., relevant media venues), and an especially useful list of sources for learning the English language.

Baker, N., & Gitner, F. (1999). “New Americans program: part 2.” Reference & User Services Quarterly, 38(13), 243ff. (available from InfoTrac General Reference Center).
How the Queensborough Public Library conducts continuous community analysis to maintain relevant programming.

Crossroads. June, 2004.
http://webjunction.org/do/DisplayContent?id=6314
This WebJunction issue focuses on services to immigrants.

Feinberg, S., & Rogoff, C. (August, 1998). Diversity takes children to a friendly family place. American Libraries 29(7), 50-53. Programs about nutrition, child development, language, literacy, and other topics have been developed by library staffs and community partners for immigrant children and their caregivers. This article tells us how to get started in this outreach effort with families.

Fiction and the Immigrant Experience http://www.brocku.ca/english/courses/1F95/immigrant.html
“The history of immigration," writes one writer, Oscar Handlin, "is the history of alienation and its consequences....For every freedom won, a tradition lost. For every second generation assimilated, a first generation in one way or another spurned. For the gains of goods and services, an identity lost, and uncertainty found." A stimulant for self-awareness.

International Institute of New Jersey
http://www.iinj.org
Programs from this vital organization include anti-trafficking, cross-cultural counseling, education, interpreting/translating, immigration law, refugee resettlement, and much more.

MLA Language Map
http://www.mla.org/census_main
Based on data from the 2000 U.S. Census, the Language Map exhibits concentrations of language speakers in zip codes and counties.

MultiMAC
http://www.npl.org/Pages/Multimac
Centered at The Newark Public Library, “MultiMAC offers information, materials and step by step assistance and support to New Jersey librarians interested in advancing the full spectrum of library services to constituents who speak languages other than English. The Center offers materials and a variety of services in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Korean, Pilipino, Polish, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese. These materials are integrated into The Newark Public Library's World Languages Collection, which also includes: German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Portuguese and Ukrainian.”

Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants
http://uscis.gov/graphics/citizenship/welcomeguide/index.htm
From the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services comes this site with forms, fees, services, laws, and other information in English, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese (and, soon, in French, Haitian Creole, and Portuguese).

Services to Latinos

Alire, C., & Archibeque, O. (1998). Serving Latino communities: a how-to-do-it manual for librarians. Neal-Schumann.
This book’s goals are to “help library staff understand the needs of their library's Latino community; develop successful programs and services; obtain external funding for improved services; prepare staff to work more effectively with Latinos; establish partnerships with relevant external agencies and organizations; improve collection development; and do effective outreach and public relations. Includes sample handouts and flyers; a resource directory with selected publications, organizations, and sites.”

Marquis, S.K. (2003). Collections and services for the Spanish-Speaking: issues and resources. Public Libraries, 42(3), 106-112.
Strategies for highlighting materials for Spanish speaking people are informed by cultural and linguistic awareness in both technical and public services departments.

Moller, S.C. (2001). Library services to Spanish speaking patrons: A practical guide. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.
“Better serve the needs of Spanish- speaking patrons of all ages by learning about various Hispanic groups and some of the cultural differences that can lead to misunderstandings. A variety of Latino program and collection building ideas follows the cultural information. A list of distributors of Spanish-language materials-books, periodicals, AV materials-is provided, as well as Web addresses of Spanish-language Internet sites.”

North Carolina State Library. Hispanic Services Project
http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/hispanic/index.htm
“…[A] three-year project that will result in public librarians having the skills and resources necessary to provide appropriate services for North Carolina's rapidly increasing Hispanic and Latino communities. Primary beneficiaries of this project will be the growing number of Hispanic and Latino individuals in North Carolina. Public library staff will also benefit from this project since the skills they learn as part of this project will be useful in designing library services to any special population.” Along with conclusions and recommendations, this report presents good booklists and web links.

Reforma: The Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking
http://www.reforma.org/
Note especially the employment listings, the resources for children, the “U.S. Public Library Websites with Information in Spanish,” “Spanish for Librarians,” and the directory of publisher and distributors.

Spanish Subject Headings http://www.bibliotecasparalagente.org/sujetos.html
“The Oakland Public Library (OPL) has been assigning Spanish language equivalents to Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) in its Spanish language bibliographic records since the early 1980's. The primary source for these Spanish subjects headings is Bilindex (1984) and its 1986 supplement. When Spanish language equivalents to LCSHs cannot be found in Bilindex, OPL library staff with appropriate language and cataloging expertise create them, following linguistic and structural patterns established by the primary source. This file constitutes all those Spanish subject headings created in-house with their LCSH equivalents.”

Services to Older Adults

American Library Association. Library Services to Older Adults Guidelines.
http://www.ala.org/ala/rusa/rusaprotools/referenceguide/libraryservices.htm Services, collections, access, staffing, and outreach for seniors.

Caban, B., & Shahbodaghi, K. (1990). Targeting the older adult: project super seniors. RQ, Winter 30(2), 177-179.
Developing community partnerships and creating programs of interest to a variety of older adults.

Honnold, R., & Mesaros, S.A. (2004). Serving seniors: a how-to-do-it manual. Neal-Schuman.
The publisher promises: “…Collection building for seniors (including large print materials, audio books, program kits, and assistive technologies); discussion groups and coffee clubs; and programming. The authors provide practical guidance on partnering with other agencies; mixing seniors and youth for reading and storytimes as well as for computer-based activities. Programs covered include book and film discussion groups and topics ranging from cooking to travel to games and historical eras. Also…Internet services to seniors, volunteer programs, outreach and homebound services, and services to residential facilities. A special section lists print and on-line sources for tips from other librarians reaching out to an aging population.”

Kleiman, A. (1995). The aging agenda: redefining services for a graying population. Library Journal, 120(7), 32-34.
Rationale for developing creative programs for older adults. We all wonder about when we’re 64.

Mabry, C.H. (2003). Serving seniors: dos and don'ts at the desk: older adults--the most diverse group of patrons that librarians may face--present specific challenges. American Libraries, 34 (11), 64-65.
Advice for customer service.

Newark Public Library. Webguide for Seniors.
http://www.npl.org/Pages/InternetResources/SubjectGuides/seniors.html Health, housing, finance, technology, recreation, organizations, etc.

Southern Ontario Library Service. Serving Seniors
http://www.sols.org/consulting/info/Seniors%20survey%20report4.pdf
Policy, funding, staffing, formats, facilities and outreach are analyzed.

Services to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Intersexed People

Gay Activist Alliance in Morris County
http://www.gaamc.org/services.html
Services of this oldest continuing GLBTI organization in New Jersey include a variety of meetings, a directory of groups and services, a speaker's bureau, assistance to youth, and a hotline. Notice too the links and programs buttons.

Gough, C., & Greenblatt, E. (1990). Gay and lesbian library service. Jefferson, NC: McFarland.
A core collection (print, film, and music) as well as discussion of young adult materials, discrimination issues, and other topics. Although somewhat dated, this classic volume contains ideas that remain on the cutting edge of library service.

Kester, N.G. (1997). Liberating minds: the stories and professional lives of gay, lesbian, and bisexual librarians and their advocates. Jefferson, NC: McFarland.
“Some of the issues addressed are the need to uphold intellectual freedom, challenging the censorship of gay materials in libraries, AIDS material in the library, the information needs of gay and lesbian patrons, collection development, and confronting homophobia.”

Library Q
http://library.auraria.edu/libq/index.html
For library workers, this site includes information about administration, collections, reference, periodicals, youth services. Abundant links to organizations for additional material.

New Jersey Library Association Gay and Lesbian Round Table http://www.njla.org/sections/gay_lesbian
Since its inception, the Gay and Lesbian Round Table has advocated and educated on behalf of librarian, support staff, and patron gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and intersexed communities. The Round Table has served this role under a rubric of program initiatives, collection development advisory, provision of reference and access services, and collaboration with other professional organizations. Membership is open to lesbians, gay men, bisexual, transgender and intersexed library personnel. All librarians committed to diversity including GLBTI constituencies and to supporting colleagues and the profession's values are also encouraged to join the Round Table.

Services to African Americans

Henderson, G. (1999). Our souls to keep. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural.
The author, dean of the College of Liberal Studies at the University of Oklahoma, elucidates some African American communication styles that white Americans may not understand.

Josey, E. J., & DeLoach, M., Eds. (2000). Handbook of Black librarianship. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow.
This landmark work treats diversity, African Americans in librarianship and in library education, issues related to technology, and library services to African American populations. “Of special interest is the section on African American resources, which covers archival and fugitive literature, library holdings, literature, oral history programs, and museums, with several chapters on awards.” Rutgers Professor Mark Winston’s chapter, “Establishing African American Collections” is particularly valuable.

Outreach

Library Service to Underserved Populations http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=outreachresource
From ALA's Office of Literacy and Outreach Services, here are a directory of peer consultants and resources for outreach (in general and to targeted populations), academic libraries, literacy, community and media partnerships, bookmobiles, and more. Replete with ideas and inspiration.

Metoyer-Duran, C. (1994). The information and referral process in culturally diverse communities. RQ, 32(3):359-71.
Examines ethnic gatekeepers and their views on how to obtain information.

Ocean County Library. Valuing Differences: Diversity Mission and Plan. http://oceancountylibrary.org/About/Diversity-Plan.htm
The history, goals, process, plan, and activities of this very well developed initiative is presented on the library’s website. For further information and analysis, look for Winston, M. (in press). Leadership diversity theory: a public library case study [of Ocean County Library], Public Library Quarterly, 28 pages.

Osborne, R. (2004). From outreach to equity: innovative models of library policy and practice. Chicago: American Library Association Office for Literacy and Outreach.
The author coordinates literacy and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) at the Westchester Library System of New York.

Outreach to Spanish-Speakers: Gates Training Grant Program.
http://www.cde.state.co.us/gates
Valuable links to lesson plans and tutorials for computer skills.

Southern Ontario Library Service. Serving Seniors
http://www.sols.org/consulting/info/Seniors%20survey%20report4.pdf Policy, funding, staffing, formats, facilities and outreach are analyzed.