Multicultural News

Kaye and I attended the Working Groups annual general meeting. My last meeting and Kaye's first as she takes on the role of multiculural services for Sutherland libraries.

There were a few things from this meeting that were worth everyone being aware of, in order to help our multicultural clients.

• As mentioned in a previous blog, LIAC has their Find Legal Answers page. What you may not have realised is that under the tab for Public Libraries, on the right hand side, is an option to see resources by Language. http://www.legalanswers.sl.nsw.gov.au/public_libraries/ Over 40 community lanaguages are represented and have links to either their own or other quality publications on the web. They will be sending out new Multilingual brochures to alert customers to this, with the new Discrimination Hot topic.
• Multicultural Health Communication Service http://www.mhcs.health.nsw.gov.au/publicationsandresources/publicationsresources.asp also has links to over 450 publications in 45 languages. They keep to a 3 year cycle of checking the material for accuracy (Asking the publishing body to do this as they are the ones with the expertise) if it is accurate it is removed immediately.
• The request is still out for trade manuals YA fiction , non-fiction, magazines and all sports titles for donation to PNG Lihir Island Literacy project.
• LERNI is a new website with emerging language learning resources on it for free. Arabic (african dialect) Assyrian, Burmese, Dari, Dinka, Farsi Karen, Somali, Swahili, Tamil, http://www.lerni.net.au/ Resources include how to use a computer, internet introduction, searching and email. There are also links to course information. The English version is mirrored in each language.
• 1400 Newspapers in 40 languages from 80 countries available through Library Press Display. http://www2.sl.nsw.gov.au/databases/?subject_id=94&search_type=both Join the State Library (online & free) for access.
• State Library card – individuals can join online. http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/system/forms/selfreg.html I have joined Sutherland Library up so we can use the Library membership number on the TAC network for access to even more databases than we have. They are sending out a card, to our residential address, so watch out for that one! Do not give this out to customers, show them how to join themselves. Do have a look at the list available to our customers via this avenue! http://www2.sl.nsw.gov.au/databases
• Reminder about the Multilingual Glossary if you are thinking of signage in other languages. http://www2.sl.nsw.gov.au/multicultural/glossary/