Hennepin County libraries receive large grant to overcome language barriers on computers

BY DENNIS GEISINGER

Grant money to area libraries will help provide more money for more computers, software and instruction for those to whom English is a second language. (Photo by Dennis Geisinger)

The release of a study titled “Serving Non-English Speakers in U.S. Public Libraries” at the Public Library Association’s (PLA) 12th National Conference held March 25-29 at Minneapolis’s downtown Central Library comes on the heels of a $18,588 grant awarded to Hennepin County Public Libraries for the expansion of basic technology training classes for Spanish and Somali language speakers and for people with disabilities.

The money award, announced Jan. 30, comes from the City’s new Digital Inclusion Fund, an initial $200,000 deposit from technology partner, U.S. Internet, to begin delivering on its promise that no one will be left behind in providing affordable wireless Internet service to Minneapolis residents.

In providing computers, software and instruction in their use for those to whom English is a second language, South Minneapolis libraries have already been at the forefront. The Franklin and Hosmer Libraries, for example, are already home to Community Technology Centers where during regularly scheduled hours, computers are available with Internet start pages in Spanish, Somali, Hmong and English. Tutoring in word processing and other software is also available.
“We’ve been very pleased with our efforts in computer training for Spanish speakers on the Southside,” said Jennifer Nelson, partnerships coordinator for digital inclusion at Hennepin County Public Library.

Nelson puts together programs like the Micro Entrepreneur Resource Center that helps people overcome language and technology barriers so they can make their own business plans. Last year, she collaborated with the Science Museum of Minnesota to provide game development software for immigrant teens. According to a profile of her appearing in last month’s national “Library Journal,” Nelson sees libraries as the local institutions that can “level the playing field.”

According to a March 26 story from Spanish-speaking news outlet, Hispanic PR Wire, “about 21 million people in the United States speak limited or no English, 50 percent more than a decade ago.” The study announced at the PLA conference last month is “the first national study to consider the range of library services and programs developed for non-English speakers, including the effectiveness of services, barriers to library use, most frequently used services and most successful library programs by language served,” said the Library Journal.
Hennepin County Libraries will use their digital inclusion grant to improve services in computer training for the recent influx of Spanish and Somali immigrants on the City’s Northside. “The money will be used for three things,” said Nelson. “Computer training for Spanish and Somali-speaking people at Sumner Library, at North Regional Library and for computer training at our Central Library for those with disabilities,” Nelson said. Central Library has equipment and software to increase computer access for the handicapped like oversize d computer screens and screen-reading software.

Besides the library system, eight other area non-profits collected the rest of the $200,000 awarded this year by a ten-member Digital Inclusion Advisory Board, including the Southside’s Project for Pride in Living, the Bridge for Runaway Youth, TVbyGIRLS and the Twin Cities Media Alliance.

“The second contribution from US Internet will be $300,000, and is due within 60 days of the City accepting that the network is operational according to the contract, most likely sometime this summer,” said Catherine Settanni, who was a ground-level organizer of the City’s wireless program and its Digital Inclusion Board. “After that, USI is responsible for contributing 5 percent of pre-tax revenues to this fund every year. In this regard, low-income residents in Minneapolis directly benefit from the USI-City of Minneapolis contract, since the services they use are being funded by this new (non-tax) money,” Settanni said.
“We will be assessing our success with the programs we’ve initiated to provide computer training for non-English-speaking residents and then apply for more money from Digital Inclusion as it becomes available,” said Nelson.