April 30th is the annual celebration of the diverse culture and heritage of our community. As a library, our mission is not only to advocate for the library, but for our community. What better way to do this, than to celebrate that which makes each culture so special?
The first library I worked at embraced this philosophy. The Hoover Public Library created a program called, “Celebrate, (insert country).” By contacting the local university’s multicultural council, local cultural groups, and reaching out to the community, the library spends a week celebrating the diverse population it serves. During their programs that week, the library highlights that culture’s literary and local contributions.
- Book clubs read and discuss books from that culture.
- Story times incorporate the cultural theme.
- Community programs are created which hire authentic local musicians, and artists. Ethnic cuisine is also served to embrace and welcome everyone to celebrate these cultures.
Being a part of this program made me realize that it is the library’s duty to reach out to its community, to advocate for all members, and to emphasize the importance of literacy for all cultural backgrounds. In turn, those communities will advocate for the library, as well.
Gloria Repolesk is the Children’s Library Manager at the Emmet O’Neal Public Library in Mountain Brook, Alabama. She is writing this blog post on behalf of the Advocacy and Legislation Committee.