The Oakland Public Library, through its multi-language collections, values and reflects the diversity and changing needs of its diverse community. We strive to improve the quality of life in Oakland through excellence in library services and collections that delight, inspire and inform.

 

 

1.         The language collections of the Oakland Public Library manifest acknowledge and validate the diverse cultural heritage and experiences of the diverse communities.

 

2.         The Oakland Public Library has a system-wide collection that supports the recreational, educational, informational and cultural needs of all ages and reading levels within the diverse communities in Oakland, and integrates its support of those needs into the services and operations of every branch.

 

3.         The Oakland Public Library is responsive to changes in the multi-lingual

           community in Oakland by conducting periodic community analysis.

 

4.         The Oakland Public Library has selectors and library staff who are informed, trained, capable and motivated to meet the special requirements of service to each linguistic community.

 

5.         The Oakland Public Library provides appropriate access to its language collections in every branch. This includes -- but is not limited to -- bibliographic tools; bilingual library forms, notices, signs and informational/instructional publications; and the physical location of multi-language materials within each branch.

 

6.         The Oakland Public Library subscribes to the Library Bill of Rights, and adheres to its precepts when selecting materials in all languages.

 

 

1.         Determine budget guidelines for language collections and integrate these into the Oakland Public Library's budgeting process.

 

2.         Determine and identify the levels and ranges of need for language collections in every branch.

 

3.         Define and establish an appropriate level language collection ranging from core to reference collections for each branch or unit.

 

4.         Solicit and encourage the participation of the multi-lingual community in the policy, planning and acquisitions processes of the library's language collections.

 

5.         Devise and implement a system-wide training plan for staff responsible for delivery of service to users speaking other languages.

 

6.         Provide and purchase materials from different sources that reflect the diversity of cultures of the users of the language collections.

 

7.         Select materials representing a variety of points of view; develop language collections on an inclusive rather than an exclusive basis.

 

8.         Provide relevant, up-to-date materials of high quality, and establish procedures for maintaining currency of information.

 

9.         Catalog and process all language materials in a timely fashion.

 

10.       Develop clear and consistent signs for all locations where language collections and related services are available.

 

11.       Establish and maintain systems of contact and exchange with other institutions; utilize and expand existing networks to share materials and information pertaining to multi- language collections.

 

12.       Periodically review and evaluate all of the above points, and revise or redirect them as necessary.

 

 

 

In the 1990 Census, nearly 93,500 Oakland residents over the age of five (27% of persons above age five) lived in households which spoke a non-English language at home. Ten percent of the total population was considered to be A linguistically isolated@, i.e., they live in households in which no person 14 years or older spoke English Avery well@. Oakland is rapidly increasing in ethnic diversity, and is more diverse than Alameda County or California.

 

Library staff should practice continual analysis of the communities served, analysis for maintaining established language collections, for changing locations of these collections, and for establishing new language collections. Staff should first review bibliographies on multi-ethnic collection development. The primary method for assessment of a community is use of demographics- the census, Oakland government documents, school statistics, and library circulation statistics.

 

1) The Census: From the 2000 census, one can select four displays of linguistic statistics, either by city or by each census tract: a) language spoken at home and ability to speak English; b) Household language and linguistic isolation; c) Age, language spoken at home, and linguistic isolation; and d) Language spoken at home (this last giving a detailed list of the specific languages, rather than in broad groupings). There is no update of the language demographics between each decade’s  census. Branch service areas by census tract have been established. A list is available from the Branch Administrator or the Collection Development Librarian.

 

2) Local documents from Oakland government agencies are kept in the Science, Sociology and Documents Section of the Main Library. Staff should also check the Oakland History Room for pamphlets and newspaper articles.

 

3) From the Oakland Unified School District, one can get The Language Census (form R30-LC) for each school, published annually in spring. This is available at a web-site, (http://www.cde.ca.gov), a graphics file. This lists primary language and number of students speaking it for each grade of the school. The charts show the number of LEP (limited English proficient) and FEP (fluent English proficient) students for each language. Staff can also call the schools and the Adult Schools in their area.

 

4) Circulation statistics can be pulled on the circulation of language materials in any given branch, by asking the Automation Librarian. These statistics can also be broken down by Fiction or Non-Fiction; Adult or Juvenile; or type of material. They can display the number of items circulated and the percentage of circulation for that category.

 

Secondary assessment methods involve contact with the given language community, as part of each librarian’s outreach in his/her community. Focus groups can be set up, surveys of users given, meetings with community leaders and organizations held. The Oakland History Room keeps a current list of neighborhood organizations, and the newsletters they publish. There are directories such as the Bay Area Directory of Clubs and Organizations, and the Encyclopedia of Associations (the regional, local and state volume). Oaklander’s Information Center Community Information File lists many groups, as do the white pages of telephone books.

 

 

 

A minimum population must be present to warrant establishing new collections. At least 5% of the population in a branch area must speak the language to justify a new language collection at a branch for a language already collected in the Oakland system. If the language is not currently collected by the system, at least 2% of the city population should speak the language. The branch planning to establish the collection should be located near a significant portion of the population

 

Once community analysis is completed, if it is determined that there is a need for a new language collection, the procedures for establishing a new language collection must be followed. These are: 1) New language collections must receive approval from the supervising librarian; 2) A minimum of $1,000 must be available for establishing a new language collection to ensure that it be adequate in size; 3) The selector must commit $500 a year from their materials budget to maintain each non-English language collection established; 4) Selectors who do not speak or read the language involved must select materials with the help of qualified staff who are knowledgeable in the language; 5) There must be communication with the Technical Services department- as to where one can buy the books, and as to whether they can be cataloged properly for access. The availability of appropriate tools must be ascertained before the establishment of the new collection.

 

 

 

As with English language collections, quality is the highest priority for language materials. This includes not only the caliber of writing, but also the accuracy of reference data and translation where applicable, as well as the quality of illustration and overall production/packaging quality. 

 

Since users of OPL's language collections are from dozens of countries of origin, represent diverse racial groups and have different frames of reference for the various languages, materials should be selected from a variety of sources, and their content should reflect a range of perspectives. Since production values vary from publisher to publisher, selectors should base their decisions on first-hand examination whenever possible, especially with children's materials.

Hard covers and special bindings, when available, are usually preferable over paperbacks; it may be necessary to reinforce most paperbacks before they are put out for the public. Durability increases cost-effectiveness.

 

Works in translation should be carefully evaluated for quality of translation. In children's materials particularly, an additional concern should be the appropriateness of illustrations. Selectors of materials for adults should be wary of extremes of literalness or generality that can render a translated work useless.

 

A related concern to selectors of multi- language materials is currency of information in non-fiction items. Errors and misrepresentations can slip past publishers just as easily as inaccurate translations; this is another factor in favor of personal examination of materials.

 

Similarly, selectors for both children's and adult multi- language materials should be especially mindful of the needs of "linguistically isolated" users who speak only another language. Just as there are different levels of reading skill, so are there different levels of English proficiency among users of multi- language collections.

 

Selection tools for materials in other languages differ from those for English language materials in one crucial factor: there are fewer conventional sources. Staff must be particularly alert not only for review sources, but also for selection tools appearing in the library literature, publishers' trade publications, reference resources, workshops, conferences, book fairs, and the expertise of colleagues. Some review sources include Booklist, Críticas, La Opinión, Library Journal, and School Library Journal. Profiles, vendor expertise, requests from the public, and community input are also important sources of information.

 

High quality and cultural relevance in multi-language collections will foster repeated use and exploration of other collection areas.

 

 

 Emphases may vary according to content, age group or reading level, and availability of material, but there are some rules of thumb:

 

-           Of particular value at any level is the representation of a variety of cultures, and the absence of stereotyping.

 

-           Works at any level that enhance skills for coping in the "real world" outside home and family are also worthy of selection.

 

                       -           Picture books, folktales (including indigenous mythology, multi- language nursery rhymes, songs, riddles, tongue twisters etc.) and easy readers are appropriate for preschool through 3rd grade.

 

-           Fiction:

-           "Moving up" fiction is appropriate up to about the 3rd or 4th grade level; in the past, readers beyond this level have shown a preference for works in English, but more and more paperback fiction for older children is becoming available, and should be purchased.

-           Classics of children's literature should emphasize authors who write in the original languages.

 

-           Non-Fiction:

-           A basic language non-fiction collection should fill the informational and recreational needs of children from preschool to 8th grade.

-           Non-fiction materials in other languages for juveniles will be collected in the same areas as English, with emphasis on the subjects used for school assignments and recreational topics popular with children.

 

-           Reference:

-           Keeping in mind the non-fiction emphasis on school assignments, juvenile reference collections in other languages should include, if available, a bilingual dictionary aimed at juvenile users, an atlas and one current juvenile encyclopedia.

 

-           Magazines:

-           There are a small number of juvenile magazines appropriate for multi- language collections. Some titles: Colibri, Chispa, Espantapajaros, Hsiao hsiao t=en ti (Chinese), Baby Book (Japanese), Omma rang aki rang (Korean).

 

-           Non-print Formats:

-           The juvenile language collections should include items in non-print formats such as kits, videotapes and audiocassettes (emphasis on popular children's music, stories and rhymes).

 

 

All areas of adult materials should reflect the diversity within the linguistic community. 

 

Materials should reflect the diversity of educational backgrounds which commonly exist among the various populations. Materials should be provided at all levels of complexity, for a full range of interests. Community analysis will help establish the range of these collections.

 

Since users of these collections have demonstrated an interest in world literature and culture, fiction and non-fiction collections will be rounded out by high-interest works in translation. Emphasis in both areas, however, will be on works written in the original language.

 

-           Fiction:

-           Adult fiction collections in other languages should cover the broadest possible range of subjects and should not be limited to traditional literatures or translations of English literature.

-           Both ends of the spectrum will be represented -- from popular successes and contemporary styles to literary works and classics.

-           Fiction also includes genres like mysteries, romances and science fiction.

 

-           Non-Fiction:

-           Adult non-fiction collections in other languages are general interest collections, and in this sense differ little from non-fiction collections in English. 

          - Popular topics include sociology, history, economics, politics, folklore and folkways, all aspects of the immigrant experience, the occult, psychology and self-help, home and car repair [see Selection Subcommittee's current list of popular topics]. Selectors need to be aware of current popular trends.

 

-           Reference:

-           The Oakland Public Library is committed to maintaining extensive reference collections in other languages, particularly at Main, Asian and the Cesar E. Chavez Library. Basic collections should include a bilingual dictionary, an almanac, an atlas, and encyclopedia if these are available. Users of reference collections in all languages are interested in any information resources the collections can provide. General subject areas of frequently requested materials may include basic survival information to meet daily needs; information about the community, its resources and services; services developed by government agencies, specialized dictionaries(medical, technical).