¡Bienvenidos a la Lectura! Selecting and Leveling Books for Spanish-Language Readers

Multnomah County Library staff present the Bienvenidos a la Lectura (Welcome to Reading) collection and their path from advocacy to developing circulating collections. Responding to patron requests, staff conducted an audit, assessment, and leveling of the library’s Spanish Beginner Readers collection. During the pandemic the team saw the critical need for students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds and Latine students to have access to educational resources and learning opportunities. To support the Latine community through the revitalization of the Spanish Beginning Readers Collection, the team also created themed bolsitas (book bags ready for check out). Staff from the Spanish Readers project team will share how they came together to navigate the process from developing a proposal, obtaining funding, and collaborating across multiple library departments and staff classifications. The team will share a roadmap from the initial patron request to the culmination of the project along with resources for participants. At the end of our presentation we will have time for Q&A and open sharing.