The library’s Spanish-speaking team includes staff with different and intersecting identities. For some, Spanish is their first language, while others were raised in the United States and have experience learning two cultures and languages at the same time. This lived experience makes these library staff members especially equipped to help the Spanish-speaking community in Multnomah County.
Library Assistant at St. Johns Library Carlos Ceh-Cocom’s family is originally from Yucatan. He was born in the United States but has a culturally Mexican background. Like him, many library patrons and staff have intersecting identities.
“We are a very diverse group of people connected by the Spanish language,” says Pati Morán, Spanish community engagement coordinator.
Spanish-speaking library staff can help you find connections and resources that are applicable to your specific cultural needs.
Inside the library
Spanish-speaking library team members can help you find everyday resources in Spanish to improve your life.
Blyth Boyd, library assistant at Central Library, says “I have helped people find the form to get their driver license and take the practice test on the computer, find driving schools and make appointments for the driving test.”
At the library, you can learn how to do housing searches, complete your food handlers card, find English classes and more.
“We also do a lot of adult programming like Spanish language tech help and citizenship classes” says Rudy Hernandez, Spanish library assistant at Holgate Library.
Team members organize storytimes, craft times and cultural celebrations like Día de los Niños y Día de los Libros events and heritage month celebrations. and community events like El Grito.
In the community
The team also participates in cultural community events, like El Grito, a large celebration during September.
They offer library services to community members at labor centers, migrant schools and local events. At the migrant school, they bring the Summer Reading game to kids and offer storytimes. During the school year, they attend Padres Latinos nights (Latin parents nights), sharing books to keep and information about the library.
“There’s also the Voz Worker center outreach. This is a place where day laborers wait to get assigned work for the day,” says Pati Morán. “We come once a month and bring tech help, support and connection with the library. We bring books, share resources, referrals, low cost internet services, loan chromebooks, share skill building such as using GPS navigation to travel to a job site.”
Call us
Over the phone, you can call the library and speak with someone in Spanish.
“We answer library questions, assist with library accounts, help navigate the website, sign up for events, and provide basic tech assistance (Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy for example) over the phone, chat, and email,” says Maria Eugenia Garcia, library contact center representative.
Connect with a library staff member over the phone at 503.988.5123 or visit your nearest library location to learn more.