Used with permission - (c) Bill Barnes & Gene Ambaum Unshelved.com
Serving Immigrants and Linguistically Diverse
Communities
PLA - 2014
OPL Service Area
Omaha (Douglas County) De-mographics - 2010
511,935 pop.
White 72 %Black 11%Hispanic 11%Asian 3%Other 3%
• Refugees comprise of approx 5.5% of Omaha’s population (2014)
Omaha has one of the largest Sudanese populations outside of Sudan!
Languages Spoken by Omaha Newcomers
• Arabic• Bosnian
• Bhutanese• Burmese• French
• Hmoung• Karen
• Kirundi• Nepali• Spanish• Somali
• Sudanese• Sudanese-Nuer
• Swahili
Collection – Removing BarriersMain Vendors
Locally Published Materials
Physical collection now has own space & cataloged as World Language Collection
Signage in the first languages of
Omaha’s newest residents reduces language barriers
How Cataloged?The language in the MARC record permits a canned search in
Bibliocommons, resulting in an easily accessible list titled World Languages
If not in OCLC, use Google translate to get idea of content, subject headings, etc.
New Items are added on a yearly basis
"What Every Immigrant Needs to Know” guides in
Nepali, Karen, Arabic, Somali, Burmese, English
and Spanish
Very
Popular!
Collection – Curating InfoRefugee/Immigrant
Libguide
• cataloged in our ILS to improve access
• continously updated by staff
• links about credit, online banking, using a bank, Emergency room care in certain languages
The Karen PageHas most hits!
Links to• online news in Karen • local agencies, ESL classes, Karen items in our catalog, citizenship classes
• videos/PDFs on parenting, bedbugs, Medline Plus foreign language health help
• videos of local performances
The Mentor Page
Resources for mentors to understand different immigrant and refugee cultures, phrasebooks in foreign languages, and teaching guides
The ESL Page
Links to • ESL Library Materials• Conversational Classes • Tumblebooks • Mango Languages
Libguide Hits 2012 – 730 2013 - 1190
2014- 370 YTD
Partnerships & CoalitionsLFS, SSCA shows the Welcome to the
Library Videos during refugee orientations.
OPS Refugee and Migrant Center serves 1,824
students & they donate books made in the
Saturday refugee class.
OPL partners with Literacy Center of the
Midlands who run weekly ESL &
citizenship classes at our South Branch - whose staff is
50% bilingual & USCIS trained.
World Refugee DayBooth - Promote Homework Help/Tutor.com, Brochures Arabic, Karen, Spanish. (new will be Somali, Burmese, Nepali)
Show video & collection in HS library
New Americans Task Force formed!
• Mission: Coordinate and connect
library staff with newest Americans to
provide relevant library services
What are the top 4 needs/concerns of refugees?
ESLFurther education after
HSMaintaining their culture
Connecting to others outside of their ethnic
group
New Americans Task Force formed!
Next Steps attend bi-monthly meetings
of Omaha Refugee Task Force
share library programs/collections that address newcomer concerns
outreach to program directors to give library tours, build relationships – improves collection
citizenship corner with materials
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sbisson/
English Conversation Circles –We funded/created ESL Kits/Talk Time for use in
library meeting rooms with staff doing 5 minute intros. Marketed through email to
local ESL Providers
Input from Literacy Center
More English conversation opportunities at the library
Presenting at LFS education seminar 2x yr
Presentation 2x month at SSCA – train other staff
Increase cultural orientation for staff through webinars
Prepare one handout listing FREE stuff, FREE community events, FREE services, etc
Offer use of library meeting spaces and take this opportunity to promote our literacy and library
resources
Create Library Bags for immigrants/refugees with Welcome to the U.S. Guidebook to handout
at cultural events
Fu
ture G
oals
Contact info: Judy Anghelescu [email protected] 402-444-
4034http://www.slideshare.net/janghel
The beauty and price of the democratic way of life is a growing
appreciation of people's differences, not merely as tolerable, but as the
essence of a rich and rewarding human experience.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43584871@N07/
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