Un montón de gracias...

{12.14.2010}

I like to reserve this blog for reviews of bilingual and multicultural children’s literature that I find inspiring, but tonight I am going to make an exception. I’ve had quite the experience these past 12 weeks and I’d like to post a few thoughts here.
Since the end of August, I have been an assistant at the Community Learning Plaza at the Woodbury Branch of the Denver Public Library. Two nights per week, I show up and help adults (mostly Spanish speakers) find jobs, use the internet, and practice English skills. I’ve come to know them, their children, and quite a lot about their lives.

Before I go too far, let me preface the rest of my post with this: The Woodbury Library is where my adventure in libraries began; if it hadn’t been for that little library, I may have never attended library school. In 2008 I began volunteering there, at a point in my life when I was eager to practice my Spanish skills and use my degree in Spanish literature. Two years later, I find myself on the verge of finishing my degree in Library Science. I’ve been able to do and learn so much thanks to Woodbury and the amazing people I’ve met and worked with there.

I have only been able to help out on Tuesday and Thursday evenings for an hour or two at a time. But these have been the best hours of my week. I spend time with the kids who come in with their parents, sometimes helping them with their homework (if I’m lucky) or watching as they play games and use the early learning stations. Their parents are mostly Spanish speaking immigrants who come to the library to learn new skills; they do this in pursuit of a better life for themselves and their families.
I have been blessed to have had the experience to work with these amazing individuals, who come to the library despite their economic status or language abilities, to learn and to become members of their local library community. It is truly amazing to see the hope and joy in the eyes of someone who succeeds at learning English, applying for citizenship, or learning how to use the library.

I am deeply grateful for this experience, and I will never forget the people I have met at Woodbury. Un montón de gracias a todos…I will never forget you.