I am currently a Branch Services Coordinator for San Antonio Public Library who is trying to change the world. If you want to know even more take a look my blog, The Asian American Librarian
Multilingual and Multi-Ethnic Advocacy
As a child of immigrants, my attention has been drawn to library patronage that need multilingual services. When I was a branch manager in the Houston Public Library, I sought opportunities to serve this group of people. Through careful collection development, programming, and employee selection I was able to start the foundations of a multilingual branch. I selected materials in several dominant languages: Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese. The branch also housed Russian, Japanese, and Korean materials. I secured a grant that allowed us to buy dual language and other languages in the children's collection. The second phase was to purchase items that the multi-ethnic communities found useful. I diverted selection choices and sought grant funding to purchase ESL and citizenship information. The community found the branch more and more indispensable. Programming was thoughtfully planned. I charged the children's librarian to recruit volunteers who could conduct a Spanish Story time language story time. La hora de cuentos was always publicized in Spanish and was not a "bilingual" story time; it was singularly Spanish. This drew audiences of both native speakers and learners. I had found that the "bilingual" programming was attractive to neither the Spanish speakers nor the language learning communities. It was very successful. I coordinated with the Chinese Community Center of Houston to provide volunteers who could conduct Chinese language story time, thus developing the first Asian language children's programming. The partnership grew and developed into a strong team. When staffing the branch, I took opportunities to hire individuals who spoke English and at least one other language. The faces spanned the rainbow of human skin and the community finally saw themselves in the library speaking the language they spoke, uniting them to the materials that they could read. The branch jumped from one of the lowest circulating branches to the eighth most popular branch after a renovation.
As one of the few Spanish speaking professional librarians, I participated fully in rendering services to Spanish speaking communities. Rimas y cancioncitas para ninos is a collection of rhymes and finger plays for librarians who serve Spanish-speaking communities. I served on the committee that expanded the collection. I took the initiative to create the web version of the book. I presented at the Texas Library Association Annual Conference 2000 in which I discussed strategies for doing Spanish Story Times.
I presented Programming Without a Net for the Joint Conference of Librarians of Color. I am often asked to discuss or present programs to other librarians about serving ethnic and multicultural communities.
Asian American interests:
Asian and Pacific American information needs are a growing personal expertise. I served as chairman for the Asian and Pacific Heritage month 2000, 2001, 2002 committees. I served on the Executive board of the Asian and Pacific American Library Association, and I continue to be a very active member. Please view these packets I wrote for children's librarians. Asian American Children's Literature is meant to stir ideas for Asian American Heritage month. It starts with a discussion of Asian America and includes several activities and bibliographies. In 2007, I participated in an interview with authors Justina Chen Headley. The interview is on the Fusion Stories website.
Children's Services:
I love television. I think any way that libraries can promote activities
through mass media is great way to reach Generation X, Millenials, and the
subsequent twenty-first century generations. During the award winning Power
Card campaign, the Houston Public Library was on Channel 8's special
presentation of Cats
. The Summer Reading Program provided a leading edge in publicizing the
library's programs through the internet. The SRP2000 was the first to
exploit the internet in advocating HPL's activities. I was a member of
the Non-print Publicity committee of 2000. We strategized the use of the
internet to promote the program. Born To Read is a
program sponsored by the American Library
Association. I provided Spanish language services at two locations in
Houston. The first is at Ben
Taub where we collaborated with the Children's Museum of Houston. The
second is at the Christus
Southwest Clinic.
Story Time is a primary and important program for libraries. It is important to create well thought and organized plans to provide the best that your library can offer. Here are some that I wish to share.
Professional Associations:
Texas Library Association committee membership
American Library Association
I received the honor of the Penguin Putnam Award. Here are articles covering
the news!
LD
Newsletter Sep/Oct 2001 Texas Libraries in the News - Texas and ALA
ALSC Winners page
Asian and Pacific American Library
Association -- I served on the Executive Board as Member at Large