“Improving Your Library’s Cultural Competence” ARSL Conference September 6-9, 2017 St. George, Utah “Improving Your Library’s Cultural Competence” Washington County (Utah) Library System Lorie Womack, Reference Librarian Washington Branch Library Bienvenidos mis amigos. Mi nombre es Lorie Womack. Es un placer presentar este taller sobre "Mejorar la competencia cultural de su biblioteca". Welcome my friends. My name is Lorie Womack. It is my pleasure to be presenting this workshop on "Improving Your Library's Cultural Competence".

What Was your Reaction When I introduced myself in Spanish What Was your Reaction When I introduced myself in Spanish? Have you Ever stopped to think about What it might be like to come into your library and speak only a foreign language? Ask for attendee’s to share their reactions.

Goals of this Workshop 1) Learn how to identify obvious and not so obvious cultures that your library serves. 2) Have a better idea how serve the various cultures within your library boundaries. 3) Be able to assess where your library is with regard to cultural competency.

How would you define cultural Competence?

What is Cultural competence? Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HjIH82Afbg

What is cultural competence? Cultural Competence is the ability to work effectively with people from different cultures. It is a way of ensuring that all people are understood and treated equally. Cultural competence promotes a celebration and appreciation of diversity. (1)

Why Do we need Cultural Competence? NEA President Dennis Van Roekel has noted, “Educators with the skills, knowledge, and attitudes to value the diversity among students will contribute to an educational system designed to serve all students well.” (2) Cultural competence is a key factor in enabling educators to be effective with students from cultures other than their own. (3) Get attendee’s thoughts on why we need to be culturally competent as individuals and as a library?

Why Does Cultural Competence matter? We live in a diverse world Everyone’s perspective is valuable No perspective is better than another Everyone can be unintentionally biased Have attendees share any additional reasons they feel cultural competence matters.

Why does cultural competence matter? Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsbRMMAyZ0U

WAYS WE CAN develop more “Cultural Competence” Celebrate Diversity Celebrate Commonality Learn verbal and non-verbal cues Communication Learn written and unwritten rules How can learning more about our differences and commonalities help us develop more cultural competence? Why is communication important in the development of cultural competence? What are some examples of written and unwritten rules at your library?

What Are Your Libraries curently Doing to promote cultural Competence?

Cultural Diversity Assessment Library Environment -- Is your library inviting to a variety of cultures? Collections -- Does your library have a collection of items useful to a variety of cultures? Programs / Services -- Does your library have a variety of programs and services that will be of interest to patrons of other cultures? Library Staff -- Does the make up of your library staff reflect the cultural diversity of the patrons you serve? Allow attendees to interview one another for 5 minutes.

Assessment Evaluation Guide Does your library’s mission and vision statements reflect the diversity of your community? Is the atmosphere of your library inviting to a variety of cultures? Evaluate how well your staff is able to relate to patrons of other backgrounds. Does your library board reflect a diversity, cultural differences, and varied opinions? Guide and train staff members in dealing with a variety of cultures and backgrounds. Identify benchmarks and evaluate how well your library is meeting them. Have a few of the attendees introduce their interview partner.

Issues to consider when Developing a Cultural competency plan Identify the different cultural groups served by your library. Target 2 to 3 of these cultural groups. What type of programs and services will bring these groups into your library? How do you plan to reach out to these target groups? Who are the leaders of your target group?

Tips for Developing a Strong Cultural Plan Get the key stakeholders from your library / library system to buy into the plan. Get the key leaders of your target group involved and participating. SMART GOALS S pecific M easurable A ttainable R ealistic T imely

Cultural OUtreach Plan Handout Give attendee’s 15 minutes to fill out the handout.

Cultural outreach Plan Sharing Time and Discussion Have 3 to 4 volunteers share there plans and thoughts.

What Changes Do you wish to Make at your library with regard to Cultural Competence?

references http://www.lift4kids.org/clc/clc_answers.html; retrieved April 24, 2017 http://www.nea.org/home/39783.htm; retrieved April 24, 2017 Utah State Library Division Brochure, “Self Assessment for Library Leaders” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsbRMMAyZ0U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HjIH82Afbg

Contact information Lorie Womack, Reference Librarian Washington Branch Library 220 N. 300 E. Washington, UT 84780 (435)627-2706 lorie.womack@washco.lib.ut.us