American Library Association (Public Library Association)

The Public Library Association will partner with The National Center for Families Learning to develop new tools and training models to support authentic engagement of Spanish-speaking families. This two-year project will train public library staff from California, Georgia, and Massachusetts on best practices for collaborating with culturally diverse community members, and on using principles of co-design to improve library services for underserved communities. Project activities include: 1) training for staff at up to nine public libraries on best practices for reflecting on personal bias, effectively collaborating with culturally diverse community members, and using principles of co-design to improve library services for underserved communities; 2) creating and sharing resources to bolster understanding of family engagement, why it is important, and how to incorporate it when working with culturally diverse groups; 3) developing an evaluation framework to assess outcomes; and 4) disseminating all project-developed tools and information. This project will benefit public libraries and the communities they serve by providing fresh approaches to practicing more inclusive family engagement.