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3 Surefire Tips to Help ESL/EFL Patrons Utilize eResources

Supporting ESL

By Anne Nagrant 

My experience living abroad as a Peace Corps Volunteer made me very sympathetic to those in our local communities for whom English is not their native language. No matter the level of English a patron has, public libraries should be prepared to serve all.

Inside the library, signage and pictures can help visitors find what they need. Library staff can enunciate clearly and try saying the same thing in different ways. Because some immigrants prefer reading to conversation, offer flyers and handouts to take home. Order free Spanish-language print materials from Gale’s ProMo site to promote Informe Académico or PowerSpeak Languages.

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Facts not Fear: Demystify Ebola and Enterovirus D68

Ebola Informational Resources

Turn on the news and try NOT to feel a little bit anxious about current public health crises. The onslaught of stories about Ebola and Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68), “a flulike disease that has infected 664 people—most of them children—in 45 states so far and the District of Columbia.” [1] These and other illnesses can be overwhelming…and cause great concern in your community. As rumors and misinformation generate fear, people need expert information to better understand the risks to themselves and their families.

“One of the challenges of combating an Ebola outbreak is the fact that the early symptoms of the infection are similar to those of the flu, malaria, typhoid fever, and several bacterial infections, which occur more often and are not as serious. By the time the true nature of the infection becomes known, many people in a community could have been infected.

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Moving Bolding into the Future in a Time of Change

Multnomah County Library

By Vailey Oehlke

Each of us knows innately how the world around us is changing. From the smartphone in our pocket or purse that connects us with people and information in an instant, to the ongoing threats posed by large scale corporate data breaches, our lives are very different than they were a few short years ago. There isn’t much we can predict with certainty except that more uncertainty is ahead.

And, of course, the public library exists in this same uncertainty. Some see this as a fundamental threat to libraries. I see it as a transformative opportunity to redefine our role of value, contribute to our communities and change lives in a totally unique way. Aren’t we fortunate to be in positions to effect this opportunity?

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