rockymountainnews.com

Library plan sparks debate
Bilingual branches would cater to needs of Hispanic patrons

By Fernando Quintero, Rocky Mountain News
August 9, 2005

At the Woodbury branch of the Denver Public Library, 15-year-old Edgar Jacob sat at a large oak desk, reading a book in Spanish about interpreting dreams.

"I like to read books. They're interesting," said the incoming freshman at North High School. "I like books about boxeo. I, too, want to be a great boxer."

His neighbor, 12-year-old Jonathan Lozoya, a seventh-grader at Bryant-Webster Elementary, was reading a book in Spanish about bugs. The boys leafed through a stack of books and Spanish-language magazines as they waited for computers to become available.

Jacob and Lozoya represent the city's fastest-growing ethnic group and a significant percentage of library patrons. They also represent the impetus behind a controversial part of a plan to overhaul Denver's library system.

Under the proposal, all libraries would retain a core of basic services and materials, city librarian Rick Ashton has said. But many collections at a particular branch would be tailored to the interests of its patrons.Among the "service styles" are "Learning and Language" branches with both English and Spanish materials and services. These branches would feature a bilingual staff, more Spanish-language books and magazines, adult classes and language materials for Denver's burgeoning immigrant community.

Other library models would include a children's library and a "contemporary" library, with extensive DVD and CD collections, casual seating and multiple copies of books on shelves, as seen in bookstores.

Although the overall library proposal was met with general acceptance, the Language and Learning idea has been criticized by those who oppose public services to illegal immigrants and support English as the national language.

"This is America. Our language is English. It's important that our public institutions adhere to a single language," said Fred Elbel, a Lakewood resident and president of Colorado Alliance for Immigration Reform.

The issue has attracted the attention of Rep. Tom Tancredo, the Littleton Republican who is a leading critic of U.S. immigration policy.

In June, Tancredo wrote to Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. He demanded to know whether the library was shifting toward "Spanish-language only" branches, saying such a change could result in "ethnic separatism." He raised several other questions, including whether books in English were being thrown out to make room for Spanish-language material.

"I assume you placed considerable trust in your sources before you amplified their concerns to the media. If so, this trust has been misplaced," Hickenlooper responded in a letter that answered Tancredo's questions.

The issue became fodder for talk radio. Complaints that the library was using taxpayer dollars to assist illegal immigrants were voiced at a series of community meetings in July to discuss the possible changes.

Ashton has said the library has a tradition of serving a diverse public, including immigrants from a variety of countries. The proposal to customize branches with "service styles" is simply part of the library's ongoing efforts to better serve the city's changing demographics, he said.

"Our mission is simple: to help the people of our community realize their full potential," Ashton said last week.

"It is one of our responsibilities and traditions to serve as a resource for immigrants in their efforts to become members of our local community," he added.

Library officials point to census and school enrollment data that shows a third of Denver households are Hispanics, and 21 percent of them speak Spanish at home. Children from Hispanic families account for more than half of all students in Denver Public Schools.

The library's research shows that the use of Spanish-language materials is increasing, with Spanish magazines having become the most heavily circulated at seven locations.

Ashton, who is celebrating his 20th year as head librarian, said libraries have traditionally been seen as passive institutions with stuffy reputations.

"And there are plenty of examples of those kinds of libraries," he said. "We are not silent. We believe we should have an impact on people's lives. Too many things are competing for people's attention. Waiting for something to happen doesn't serve the community. If we don't actively engage, we're not doing our job."As part of its service-style effort, the library collected information about patrons' preferences to detect patterns and trends. Focus groups, plus reports from Denver-based Piton Foundation and the Brookings Institute in Washington, D.C., "suggested a change is due," said Ashton.

"We have to respond to changes. Our collections are changing. The use of adult books has declined to 21 percent average for all materials. The use of audiovisual materials has increased by 54 percent. Likewise, the use of Spanish-language materials has increased dramatically."But, left with a $28.6 million budget following three years of cuts, the timing for new changes has been questioned.

"Why would we be considering new directions, especially in this financial environment? Some of these changes could be made with existing resources, others can't. But we have to move forward and not let the present budgetary situation be our driving force," Ashton said.

Other cities are moving to better serve Spanish-speaking patrons.

In New York, an effort to reach Spanish-speaking communities has been launched by the the city's library. Bienvenidos a la Biblioteca will offer immigrants' rights workshops, information on employment, citizenship, and computer classes plus cultural arts programs.

In San Francisco, library collections in Spanish and Asian languages as well as gay and lesbian titles have served the city's diverse community for decades.

Library officials there said Denver's library had a "progressive" reputation.

At the Woodbury branch, located on the eastern edge of Highland Park on Federal Boulevard, a sampling of its video selection includes Adiós Accent and It's Potty Time with Spanish subtitles, an abundance of nature programs, and dubbed Hollywood sleepers like Nurse Betty and Magnolia.

Magazines like Cosmopolitan en Español are mixed in with English periodicals.

The top 10 titles are in Spanish.

Pilar Castro-Reino, manager of 11 branches including Woodbury, said she has seen firsthand the demographic changes that have taken place over the past 10 years.

"I first saw very specific pockets in the city where people needed Spanish speakers to help them.

Now, those people come from all over the city," she said.

Library officials would not say what percentage of its materials would be in Spanish, but said that the majority of materials would be in English.

The Language and Learning idea as well as other service-style proposals will be reviewed next month by the Library Commission and a 50-member advisory board.