Spanish for Libraries

Language Access

Colorado State Library encourages our libraries to provide resources, materials, services, and education for their community members irrespective of languages spoken or read. Guidance for language access at your library can be found at the link for Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) on the federal government's Limited English Proficiency Language Access Plans webpage. 

• Language Access Toolkit by Global Wordsmiths
• Services to Spanish Speakers on Libraries Learn (learning content, resources) 
• Resources for Serving Hispanohablante & Latine in Colorado Libraries (PDF) 
  • Looking for resources from a presentation? Download ^ PDF. 

Materials for Libraries

• In the Library/ En la biblioteca posters & flyers (Google Drive)
• Yo hablo, 2.25" buttons (Google Drive)

Demographics & Population Research 

• Languages Spoken at Home - Colorado  
  • Open latest year/ date range category
  • Scroll down to "Languages Spoken at Home" heading for various spreadsheets
• American Community Survey from US Census Bureau 
• Colorado State Demography Office 2020 Census Interactive Map 
• 5-Year American Community Survey: Colorado Interactive Map

Collection & Acquisition of Spanish-Language Materials

• "How Do I Build a Successful Spanish Collection at My Library?" (PDF)
  • Presentation by Carmen Zamarripa and Jorge Romero for CLiC Virtual Winter Workshop 2024
  • Includes selection resources, recommended vendors, publishers, and networking information and links

Read-aloud Materials for Non-English Speakers

• Bibliocuentos - Bilingual and Spanish language storytime resources from Luisa Leija and Sheridan Jay Cazarez
• International Children's Digital Library
• Bloom Library 
  • Q'anjob'al (indigenous Guatemalan language) 

Creating Spanish-Language Materials

• Forms, Flyers, & User Instruction guides from SOL (Spanish in Our Libraries)
• Using the Spanish Keyboard (video in Spanish) 
• Using the Spanish Keyboard (PDF)
• Typing Spanish Accents (StudySpanish) – scroll down to “Typing Cryptic Codes” for Alt+ codes

Services and Programming for Hispanohablantes/ Spanish-speakers

• Library Services to Recently Arrive Latino Immigrants (REFORMA, link to webinar, Dec. 2023) 
• Emerging Adult Readers Resource & Book Club Kit from Colorado State Library 
• Book Club Kits from Colorado State Library
  • Libros en español / Books in Spanish 
• CALMA (Colorado Alliance of Latino Mentors and Authors) member authors with contact, location, and information including books, genres, and websites
• Lee & Low Publishers - Artist and author visits page 
• Community Conversation Guides in Spanish (Living Room Conversations)

Language Interpretation/ Translation Services 

• Community Language Cooperative (live interpretation, document translation, many languages)
• Colorado Interpreters and Translators Association
• The Interpreter Network from Spring Institute 
• Language Link

Colorado-based Document Translation with Library Experience

• Cvlisto 
• Rocky Mountain Language Coop 

Organizations & Partners

• REFORMA  - REFORMA is the national association to promote library and information services to Latinos and Spanish speakers.  
  • ​REFORMA Colorado
• ¡Colorín Colorado! - A bilingual site for English language learners, their educators, and their families geared to early and young readers/ children. 
• CALMA (Colorado Alliance of Latino Mentors and Authors)

Español for Library Folx 

Español for Library Folx is an eight-week language learning community and conversation circle for library staff in the state of Colorado, hosted by Colorado State Library. This community is not a Spanish language course, nor is it intended to substitute for formal Spanish language instruction. It is intended for beginning to intermediate Spanish speakers or speakers with basic conversational fluency who work in library spaces and want to learn and practice Spanish contextualized for library work. Cohorts meet weekly over an eight-week period to learn and/or practice terms and phrases relevant to library work and library spaces. Sessions will provide the opportunity for peer-learning and practice in a non-judgmental, supportive space. 

The program will include:

• Hour-long sessions once weekly for eight weeks via Zoom 
• Support for accessing and utilizing Spanish language learning materials
• Basic vocabulary for: Customer Service, Getting a Library Card, Circulation, Events, Reference, Technology
• Opportunities to practice basic library service-centered Spanish with other learners in library contexts

For more information on this program, please email Cristy Moran at moran_c@cde.state.co.us 

Due to an overwhelming and immediate interest, the interest form for the Fall 2024 cohort is closed. 

Vocabulary Resources

• Library Vocabulary Terms by Week (PDF) 
• Spanish Library Vocabulary Terms Flashcards (PDF)

Reading Materials

• Soñadores, por Yuyi Morales – Read aloud in Spanish  
• Lola en la Biblioteca, por Anna McQuin y Rosalín Beardshaw – Read aloud in Spanish  
• Make Make at Denver Public Library 
  • E-cards are open to any applicants regardless of location and retain perpetual access permissions. 

Additional Language Learning Materials

• The New Spanish for Librarians from REFORMA
• Infopeople's Survival Spanish for Library Staff
• Language Learning Databases in Colorado Libraries 
  • Mango and Transparent databases have learning tracks for library staff and librarians
  • Mango is available through Denver Public Library's databases. E-cards are open to any applicants regardless of location and retain perpetual access permissions. 

Adult Library Services Consultant

Cristy Moran (she/ her/ ella) is the Adult Library Services Senior Consultant at the Colorado State Library and is eager to consult with and support you in program development and facilitation, outreach, finding resources, assessment and evaluation, and collaborating with community partners. She is a librarian, an educator, an instructional designer, and an information literacy specialist who has worked in libraries and education for over 15 years. In supporting all Colorado libraries (including public, academic, and special libraries), Cristy's role can best be described as the adult services librarian’s librarian for Colorado. 

Cristy Moran

Adult Library Services Senior Consultant
Colorado State Library
201 E. Colfax Ave, Room 309
Denver, CO 80203
Phone: 720-926-2159
Email: moran_c@cde.state.co.us
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