Some information I wrote about last semester. This is my work and part of a bigger paper that was a group project. As you can see, I have been interested in Latino library services for a while.
Al-Qallaf, C. L., & Mika, J. J.
(2009). Library and information services to the Arabic- speaking community: A survey of Michigan public libraries. Public Library Quarterly, 28(2), 127-161.
The authors of this article have both been
published numerous times in scholarly and peer review journals. Dr. Joseph J. Mika is a Professor
Emeritus at Wayne State University in Michigan with the School of Library and
Information Sciences. Dr. Charlene
L. Al-Qallaf is Chairman of the Department of Library and Information Science,
College of Social Sciences, Kuwait University.
Their article shares extensive research on how
well a library in Michigan supported its non English speaking patrons. Their methodology is sound and their
results point to particular ways that librarians at all public libraries can
assist all non-English speaking patrons or those patrons with limited English
proficiency. Further, the article
points to how librarians can tailor certain aspects of the library to cultivate
a climate of access and acceptance to help these individuals have greater
information literacy.
This is an extremely well thought out study and
is highly useful to those who are interested in information literacy as it
pertains to non-native English speakers.
Drs. Al-Qallaf and Mika’s work is especially helpful as it addresses the
Arabic community and not just the Latino community, which is the subject of
extensive discourse in the information literacy realm. (Jeri Jeffcoat)
Chu, C. M. (1999).
Literacy practices of linguistic minorities: Sociolinguistic issues and implications for literacy. Library Quarterly, 69(3), 339.
Dr. Clara Chu is a professor and the department
chair for Library and Information Studies at the University of North Carolina
at Greensboro. She has written
many peer reviewed articles. In
fact, this article has been cited seven times, most recently in the esteemed
peer reviewed Journal of Education for
Library & Information Science in 2011. Though the article dates to well over ten years ago, the
information that Chu purports is very relevant today.
Within the article Dr. Chu explains that
literacy can be viewed as a form of power and that librarians and information specialists
have to be careful not to wield this power over individuals seeking
knowledge. The article refers to a
group of people whom are “linguistic minorities” and the challenges that this
group encounters within their communities, schools, government agencies, and
libraries. Chu provides a scenario
of one individual who needs information but is stifled in his library search
because of language barriers. The
anecdote gives the librarian’s solution for this particular situation and
illuminates actions that are helpful and harmful. The advice for librarians, in general, is very clear.
The article defines linguistic minorities and
then outlines how libraries can “strategically” arrange their services to serve
this population of Americans. It
is exceptional well written and highly useful for individuals studying and
researching information literacy.
Dr. Chu offers definitions, research data, and solutions for
improvement. (Jeri Jeffcoat)
Library services for immigrants, an
abridged version. (2009). Public Library Quarterly,
28(2), 120-126.
The Public Library quarterly published this
article as an abridged version of an earlier article written in 2006 for the
federal Government by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and
Institute for Museum Services. The
reason for republication and abridgment was to make additions and deletions to
the previous research data and bring the document up to date. No record of this
article being referenced in other peer-reviewed publications was found, though
the information is contained within a government document.
The article plainly states that data indicates
that immigrants to the United States have a clear disadvantage when it comes to
information literacy and that the government must partner with other
institutions within our society to help rectify this problem. Further the article suggests items and
collections that other institutions may need in order to aid local immigrant
communities. For example, working
immigrants might receive information literacy classes provided by churches that are near agricultural areas. The article suggests that libraries
have a duty to aid these groups by providing collections that enhance teaching
information literacy, and that librarians should take part in these efforts,
themselves.
This article contains concise and essential
information for individuals studying information literacy. It also provides concrete solutions to
help individuals not proficient in the English language have equitable access
to all forms of information for educational, civic, medical, social and
entertainment purposes. (Jeri
Jeffcoat)
Saldaña, R. (2009). The bilingual book
club: a family affair. Teacher Librarian, 36(3), 27-32.
Dr. René Saldaña, Jr., is a writer of young
adult books and a university teacher in Texas. Within his article, Dr. Saldana
“sounds the alarm” for teacher librarians of Latino students. His commentary cries for information
literacy teaching aimed specifically towards school children that are not
native English speakers or whose parents are not native English speakers.
Though the article is quite useful and relevant
to the study of information literacy, it has not been sited in numerous peer
review journals. Still, the
information and insight that Dr. Saldaña puts forth is exceptionally important
for teachers and teacher librarians.
The position he takes is that students in school are clients of the
librarian, and that in order to serve, support, and educate one’s clientele one
must involve and educate parents,
get funding, and create an environment that is user friendly and creative. His strategies are sound and his research is solid. This article is quite useful for
reference purposes for studies on Information literacy. (Jeri Jeffcoat)
Shen, L. (2013). Out of information
poverty: Library services for urban marginalized immigrants. Urban Library Journal, 19(1), 1-12.
Lan Shen is an assistant professor at Purdue
University mainly teaching information literacy. She has published numerous other peer-reviewed
articles. This article defines and
discusses information literacy in conjunction with individuals in America whom
are not proficient in the English language. Dr. Shen refers to this as “Information poverty.”
The paper focuses on urban immigrants and the
ways in which many need help to improve their information skills so that they
can therefore improve their lives.
The article thoroughly discusses the implications of information poverty
and some solutions to assist many marginalized groups in America. Even though the article specifically
targets urban immigrants, Dr. Shen broadens her scope to include all Americans
for whom English is not their first language. Shen discuses research that supports her position and
outlines the reasons why many non-English speaking Americans, or English as a
second language Americans, lack information literacy skills, and how they can
be helped. Shen further specifically
explains some ways library and information science professionals can help
reduce information poverty for individuals with limited English language
proficiency.
The article is recently published and has not
been cited by other peer review studies.
However, the information contained within the article is well
researched, exceptionally well written, and to the point. This work will be essential for the
purposes of compiling a position paper on informational literacy and the
various groups that can be assisted by efforts to increase information
literacy. Of great importance are
Shen’s suggestions for library science professionals in how to create
environments that aid English as second language individuals in seeking and
receiving information that is useful in all aspects of their lives. (Jeri Jeffcoat)
