Libros for Oregon: Collections Connect Communities A New LSTA Grant to Help More Oregon Libraries Take Advantage of the Guadalajara Book Fair

Authors

  • Deborah Gitlitz Wilsonville Public Library

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7710/1093-7374.1877

Keywords:

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Abstract

Acquiring good books in Spanish for our libraries is a perennial challenge. In the fall of 2015, a discussion arose on some Oregon library listservs about the challenge of connecting our patrons with culturally-appropriate, high-quality Spanish books. Author Gitlitz gathered a team to put together an LSTA grant proposal for a project called “Libros for Oregon,” with a goal of increasing access to high-quality Spanish language books for the users of Oregon libraries, particularly smaller, rural libraries.

The project has three parts: (1) form an Oregon library book-buying cooperative (with new participants each year) to purchase materials for members at the International Book Fair (FIL) in Guadalajara; (2) help participating libraries to develop and implement outreach plans for connecting their enhanced collections with their Hispanic/Latino communities; and (3) create a “Best of FIL” booklist (annotated to show US availability) for all Oregon libraries to use in collection development. The article explains the grant’s goals and timeline; gives a sense of the immense Guadalajara book fair; and discusses avenues for Oregon libraries to participate in this project in upcoming years.

This project is supported in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Oregon State Library.

Este programa es patrocinado en parte por el Instituto de Museo y Servicios Bibliotecarios a través de la Ley de Servicios Bibliotecarios y Tecnológicos (LSTA), administrado por la Biblioteca Estatal de Oregón.

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Author Biography

Deborah Gitlitz, Wilsonville Public Library

Deborah is the bilingual Outreach Librarian for Wilsonville Public Library. She received her MLS from Indiana University in 1995, began her library career as a Youth Services Librarian with Timberland Regional Library in SW Washington, and spent 15 years as a Bilingual Youth Librarian at Multnomah County Library (MCL), including two years running an LSTA-funded family literacy outreach program called Families Reading Together/Familias Leyendo Juntas. Deborah also works as a library consultant and literacy trainer. 2016 was her fourth visit to the Guadalajara book fair. During an earlier visit to the FIL for MCL she had the opportunity to make a presentation to the staff of 10 Guadalajara libraries on Americanstyle early literacy library practices. They were thrown into giggles at the idea of reading to a room full of babies, and flat-out thought she was joking about Read to the Dogs.

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Published

2017-05-08

How to Cite

Gitlitz, D. (2017). Libros for Oregon: Collections Connect Communities A New LSTA Grant to Help More Oregon Libraries Take Advantage of the Guadalajara Book Fair. OLA Quarterly, 22(4), 17–22. https://doi.org/10.7710/1093-7374.1877