Basic Spanish for Library Staff

Course is full. Join the waitlist.

October 15 - November 11, 2024 | Four-week course

Time commitment: 2.5 hours per week
 

Are you a library staff member eager to enhance your communication skills and better serve the diverse community that visits your library? This course is designed to help you engage with Spanish-speaking patrons effectively, fostering a more inclusive and welcoming environment.

By the end of the course, participants will:

• Develop basic skills to interact with Spanish speaking library users.
• Acquire library-specific vocabulary for effective communication.
• Gain cultural insights to better understand and connect with Spanish-speaking users.
• Feel confident in assisting users with language needs.
• Create a more inclusive library environment.

Course Description: This 4-week course will include:

• Weekly assignments to reinforce learning
• One introduction session (Optional)
  • Tuesday, October 15@ 11 a.m. Pacific (12 p.m. Mountain, 1p.m. Central, 2 p.m. Eastern)
• Two 60-minute interactive online sessions (these will be recorded for those unable to attend the live sessions):
  • October 22 @ 10 a.m. Pacific (11 a.m. Mountain,  12p.m. Central, 1 p.m. Eastern)
  • November 5 @ 10 a.m. Pacific (11 a.m. Mountain,  12p.m. Central, 1 p.m. Eastern)
• Recommendation of Materials:
  • Curated materials for self-study and review.
  • Spanish language books, audiobooks, and movies.
  • Online resources and websites for language learning.
• One-on-one meetings with the instructor by appointment.

Course Outline: When you log in to the Infopeople online learning site, you will see weekly modules with these topics:

• Week 1: Your Community, Spanish Pronunciation, and Basic Vocabulary
  • Who are your library users?
  • Spanish pronunciation rules and tips
  • Basic greetings, introductions, and library vocabulary
• Week 2: Cultural Awareness and Library Vocabulary
  • Live session
  • Understanding cultural differences
  • Customer service and reference
  • Using library vocabulary
• Week 3: Connecting with and Supporting Spanish-Speaking Patrons
  • Welcoming and building relations with Spanish speakers
  • Resources and services for Spanish speakers
  • Understanding the needs of the Spanish-speaking community
• Week 4: Practice and Ongoing Learning
  • Live session
  • Applying learned skills
  • Recap of resources for ongoing learning

Time Required: To complete this course, you can expect to spend 2 1/2 hours per week, for a total of fifteen course hours. Each week's module contains readings and various options for assignments, discussions, or online meetings. You can choose the options most relevant to your work and interests. Although you can work on each module at your own pace, at any hour of the day or night, it is recommended that you complete each week's work within that week to stay in sync with other learners.

Who Should Take This Course: Library staff at public, academic libraries

Presenter: Nadia Rendon 

This webinar is presented by Infopeople, supported by Seguimos Creando Enlaces.