Serving Spanish-speaking Customers

Presented by Marcela SánchezHCL Spanish-language Outreach Liaison

• This presentation is based on the HCL Diversity Steering Committee Training Faces of Latin America, created and presented in 2008 by Caitlin Cowan, Stacy Opitz, Marcela Sanchez and Rachel Santos.

Latinos in the U.S.

Non recent immigrants, many of them English dominant – Cuban-Americans - FL– Dominicans – NY– Mexican-Americans

• “We didn’t cross the border the border crossed us”

– Puerto Ricans – NY• “I am a citizen twice!”

Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15-Oct. 15

• National celebration of the traditions of Hispanic Americans and their contributions to the United States.

• Started in 1968 during President Johnson’s administration as Hispanic Heritage Week.

• In 1988 President Reagan extended it to a month. This allowed for the celebration to include the independence days of many Latin American countries, as well as Columbus Day on October 12, observed in many Latin American countries as El Día de la Raza or Day of the Race.

Who are Latinos?

• Not one race• People of different ethnicity, class,

religion, language andnational backgrounds

Who are Latinos?

Many countries, many cultures• North America

– Mexico

• Central America and the Caribbean– Guatemala, Cuba, Haiti,

Honduras, etc.

• South America– Brazil, Argentina, Guyana,

Paraguay, etc.

• Spain

Terminology

• Latino• Hispanic• Chicano• Immigrant• Refugee• Authorized or unauthorized• Documented or undocumented• Illegal alien• Migrant worker (bracero)

Latino culture

• Family and interdependence

• Names have important meaning

Latino culture

Emilio JavierSánchez Campos

Irma VerónicaCastro Sosa

Marcela Sánchez Castro

Carlo FranciscoSánchez Castro

Elsa Verónica Sánchez Castro

Antonio (Toño)Cuevas Sánchez

Delia Cuevas Sánchez

Jared AntonioCuevas Nava

Multiple names and last names

People go by their chosen name (nombre) and paternal last name (apellido paterno)

– Irma Verónica Castro de Sánchez • Verónica Castro

– Marcela Sánchez Castro• Marcela Sánchez

– Elsa Verónica Sánchez Castro • Ing. Elsa V. Sánchez Castro

Latino culture

• Deference to power– Diplomatic and formal– Use of titles

• Status– Language– Economics– Skin color– Education– Family– National origin

• Strong work ethic

Latino culture

Latino culture

• Time– More of a goal than a definite expectation

• Food– Main meal of the day is a late lunch (2-4

p.m.)– Most food is not spicy, Mexico’s chilies and

spicy foods are the exception

• Education– Highly regarded but the very poor might no

perceive its deferred benefits

Latino culture

Religion• Vast majority of Latinos are

Catholic• Large number turning to the

Pentecostal faith; 5-15% Protestant

• Faith isn’t as much of a Sunday commitment, but a part of everyday life

• Healing plants

Latino ways of communicating

• Physical contact while conversing

• Strangers on a train, or bus, plane etc.

• Hand gestures / pointing

• Stand close while speaking to you

• Some people speak loudly and will drop what they are doing to stop and talk for a long time

Spanglish

Spanglish not only in the US, also in Latin America– Everyday words

• parquear, grincar, la migra

– Sports • nocaut (boxing), jonrón (baseball)

– Business• marketing or marqueteo, joint venture

– Cybernetics• Chatear, forwardear, googlear, el maus

What do Latinos read?

Asked for in the library:• Childcare/childrearing

books• Books about religion• Self help books• Love poetry in Spanish• Home/auto repair manuals• Cookbooks• Latin American authors• Films in Spanish• Driver’s manual in Spanish• ELL materials• Dream interpretation

What do Latinos read?

Mexican comics• Weekly print runs vary

but go from 300,000 to 9 million copies

• Plus exports to Central and South America and USA (East Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco)

Many Latino customers in the library…Are uncomfortable approaching library staff members with questions.

So…You approach them! (A few times until they feel like they are not intruding/keeping you from doing something more important)

Latinos in Libraries

Many Latino customers in the library…Are more comfortable with chit-chat rather than direct questions.

So…Be ready to spend some time talking about family, jobs, weather, etc. before getting to the “real” reference question.

Latinos in Libraries

Many Latino customers in the library…Are unwilling to show disagreement with a figure of authority (library staff).

So…Make sure to ask several times if the information is helpful or if they have any other questions.

Latinos in Libraries

The key is building relationships

– Treat Latino customers, especially adults, with formality and respect.

• Try to remember faces and names.

• Ask about their children and other family members.

• Pay attention to body language.

Concrete ideas

Consider programs that will be especially interesting and useful to the Latino community:• Cultural programs• Conversation Circles• Citizenship information

sessions• Computer classes in

Spanish• Spanish-language

Storytimes

Concrete ideas

• Create displays of new and attractive Spanish-language books

• If you speak Spanish, announce it! Wear a button or make a sign.

Concrete ideas

If possible:

• Put signs in Spanish section offering assistance in Spanish

• Translate important signs into Spanish

• Practice your Spanish, support other library staff in learning Spanish

HCL Resources

• Diversity ToolboxStaff web

HCL Resources

• BookSpaceLatin American Authors, in English

HCL Resources

• BookSpaceBook lists in Spanish

HCL Resources

Spanish webpage

• Upcoming events

• Liaisons’ schedules

• Spanish phone line

Other Resources

Webjunction.org

Most importantly

Smile and listen attentively!

• They appreciate your effort

• They understand how difficult it is to communicate effectively when there is a language barrier

Recommended ReadingAlvarez, Julia. How the Garcia girls lost their accents.Avila, Elena. The Woman Who Glows in the Dark.Cisneros, Sandra. Caramelo.___. The House on Mango StreetDíaz, Junot. The brief wondrous life of Oscar Wao.Esquivel, Laura. Like Water for Chocolate.García Márquez, Gabriel. Cronicle of a Death Foretold.___. The General in His Labyrinth.___. One Hundred Years of Solitude. Martínez, Rubén. Crossing Over: A Mexican Family on the

Migrant Trail.Nazario, Sonia. Enrique’s Journey.Quiñones, Sam. Antonio’s Gun and Delfino’s Dream.Roethke Leigh. Latinos in Minnesota.Santiago, Esmeralda. When I was Puerto Rican.Shorris, Earl. Latinos : A Biography of the People.

Reference Sources

Alire, Camila and Jacqueline Ayala. Serving Latino Communities: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians. New York : Neal-Schuman Publishers, c2007.

Ashton, Rick and Danielle Patrick Milam. Welcome, Stranger: Public Libraries Build the Global Village. Urban Libraries Council. c2008

Buckman, Robert T. The World Today Series: Latin America, Harpers Ferry, WV. : Stryker-Post Publications, c2007. 

Figueredo, D.H. The complete idiot's guide to Latino history and culture. Indianapolis, IN : Alpha, c2002.

Roethke Leigh. Latinos in Minnesota. Afton, MN : Afton Historical Society Press, c2007.

SOL (Spanish in our Libraries) and PLUS (Public Libraries Using Spanish). http://www.sol-plus.net/plus/author.htm

Stavans, Ilan. Latino U.S.A. : a cartoon history. New York : Basic Books, c2000.

___Spanglish : the making of a new American language. New York : Rayo, c2003.

Webjunction http://www.webjunction.org