¡Bienvenido a bibliotecario! One of my central interests during my MLIS studies and subsequent work experience has been library services to Latino patrons. This is an issue that will only increase in prevalence within the field over time, along with the rapidly-changing national demographic. I'm hoping that bibliotecario will eventually become not just a useful blog, but a helpful resource for librarians tending to the needs of Latino patrons.
On the surface, approaches to Latino public library collection development may seem to be in concert with those of the development of any contemporary public library collection. When applied to a Latino demographic, however, the process often requires a dramatic reassessment. The age-old LIS principle of the librarian acting as an informed and neutral executor of the patronage's interest when molding a public library collection has to be dissected and redefined when serving a majority-Latino patronage, taking into account those cultural and social tastes that are specific to Latinos. Because of this, a simple transplant of CD policies in English, while similar in many ways, may not be fully compatible. I hope to elaborate upon and discuss some of these issues as the blog progresses.
One way to start getting an inkling into this is to immerse yourself into the same cultural and media outlets that Latinos frequent, in an attempt to 'find the pulse' of what may be in demand by your Latino patronage. I encourage you to explore the links I've provided on the blog, a choice few of many available on the net. Though most are in Spanish, you'll find visual cues to popular trends that transcend any language. Also keep an eye out for lo mas vendido as a link on the media sites -- these are bestseller lists.
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