San Antonio Public Library's Hispanic Outreach Honored

by María Elena Cruz -- Críticas, 12/15/2006

The San Antonio Public Library (SAPL) is one of three recipients of the 2006 National Awards for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) for its strategies to address the cultural diversity of San Antonio's community, especially "among the hard-to-reach low-income Spanish-speaking population." Each of the libraries honored will receive $10,000 at a special ceremony in Washington, DC.

SAPL's programs boost library usage among the Spanish-speaking population. Outreach efforts include activities during Hispanic Heritage Month, such as book club readings, food tastings, dance and music programs, films, and art. "Vámonos a la biblioteca" ("Let's Go to the Library"), an initiative launched this year during Hispanic Heritage Month, brought recognized authors, such as Sandra Cisneros, to the library.

The library's Latino Collection, a special research collection established in 1996, serves as a cultural and educational resource of more than 5000 volumes that chronicles and celebrates the literature, heritage, and contemporary life of Latinos in the United States. Other Spanish-language resources include movies, periodicals, and databases. Elizabeth Graham, public relations manager for the library, told Críticas that the circulation of Spanish-language materials (excluding the Latino Collection) increased 15 percent during the 2005–2006 fiscal year, from 354,660 items to 418,573 items.