State grant helps Roslyn library boost diverse offerings
The Bryant Library director Victor Caputo, center, stands with his staff, from left, Juliet Sanchez, Shuqian Zhang, Michelle Minervini, Deepa Chandra, Mary Carol Moore and Carol Clarke at the library in Roslyn Wednesday. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
As the diversity in the Village of Roslyn grows, so will the offerings at the Bryant Library.
That's the commitment library officials have made, using a $25,000 state grant that will help expand bilingual programming and allow them to buy more books in languages such as Spanish, Mandarin and Farsi, among others.
The push to expand library services comes at a time where the community is becoming increasingly diverse. According to 2020 census data, there’s been more than a 13% rise in minorities in Roslyn since 2010, including growth in the Hispanic and Asian populations.
“You want to make sure that somebody finds something they can value in the library because we are an institution for everybody,” library director Victor Caputo said. “Every member of the community should feel comfortable coming to the library.”
Deepa Chandra, assistant director, said bringing in a diverse staff was the first step in the process. She said the emphasis on diversity began in the children's department and now the staff is surveying patrons to make sure they supply adequate programming and books.
“You want patrons to feel comfortable when they come in, to see people from different backgrounds,” Chandra said. “To walk in and feel like they are accepted.”
In her seven years with the library, Juliet Sanchez, the children department’s librarian, said she’s seen a boost in Spanish-speaking patrons.
“Because patrons started realizing that there was a Spanish-speaking librarian, they started making connections and felt more comfortable to come in and ask more questions,” Sanchez said.
She teaches a bilingual story time course for children, but said she hopes to add more books that teach both English and Spanish, as well as more diverse authors, to their growing collection. She said she’s working with schools and families to determine what programs and literature they can utilize.
“I would like to continue to work more with schools and let them know that they can come here for bilingual class visits and I hope to have bilingual tours for children and parents,” Sanchez said.
Among the more than 80 courses the library provides, technology librarian Shuqian Zhang teaches web design, database and video editing classes in Mandarin. She said the growing Asian community has created a demand for more offerings in that language, especially in the senior community.
“In the future, we’re planning to bring seniors to be social, to help them with whatever needs they have,” Zhang said. “It’s going to help them a lot in their life and their work.”
