It is imperative that library programs reflect the rich diversity of the
entire community. That includes Spanish-speaking children, who need
opportunities to hear their home and school languages spoken, and to see
their lives validated through engaging cuentos (stories) that reflect
their cultural experiences. Additionally, when combined with other forms
of targeted outreach, offering bilingual storytimes in English and
Spanish is an effective strategy to attract Latino and Spanish-speaking
families to your library. This all-in-one resource, written by two
experienced specialists who understand the nuances of library services,
collections, and outreach to this population, shows you how. Suitable
for libraries just getting started as well as those with programs
already in place, this guide
- discusses the importance of bilingual programming in the lives of Latino and Spanish-speaking children, addressing the unique educational and informational needs of bilingual children;
- provides 18 ready-to-use program plans for bilingual storytimes, suitable even for storytime leaders who don’t speak Spanish;
- includes several templates for designing bilingual storytimes, arranged by specific age groups;
- recommends numerous children’s books, songs, and professional resources to assist librarians as they plan their bilingual programs;
- explores the opportunity for digital media usage in storytimes for Latino and Spanish-speaking families, with examples of apps that can help meet the multiple literacy needs of bilingual children; and
- suggests ways to perform outreach to Spanish-speaking and Latino communities, emphasizing the importance of relationship-building and community collaboration.
(book description)
