FROM STAFF REPORTS 

PELHAM—Pelham Public Library announced its grant from Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) will be used to create a Language Learning Center for the Pelham community. The grant is part of the strengthening youth and family program.

Pelham has a growing Hispanic population comprising about 15 percent of the city’s population. Many of the Hispanic students are in English as a second language classes in local schools, and many of the adults using the library have difficulty using city services as well as operating in daily life when they are unable to speak English.

Because of the large number of Latinos in the Pelham community there is a growing need for English-speaking residents to communicate in Spanish. Both students and adults in the community have indicated a desire to learn not only Spanish but other languages as well.

The objective of the project is to increase the awareness of the services available at the library, to bring new technologies to the Hispanic community, to provide computer and technology instruction, to assist in learning Spanish and other languages, to better communicate and to increase knowledge and proficiency in other languages.

Benefits to cardholders will include new materials, an online language learning software subscription and English as a second language classes. Print and audio materials are currently available for checkout for languages such as Spanish, Italian and Japanese, to name a few.

More than 60 language courses are available on Mango Languages for Libraries as well.  Mango is free for all library patrons and can be accessed anywhere with an Internet connection. Each lesson combines real life situations and audio from native speakers with simple, clear instructions.

English as a second language courses are set to begin on July 7th. A certified instructor, Esther Pencola-Cunill, will teach five class sessions to registered students.

All community members are welcomed to stop by the library to check out new language material and receive assistance setting up a Mango account. For a limited time, new registrants to Mango will receive a complimentary door prize.

For more information or to set up your account at no cost, visit www.Pelhamlibrary.com or call 620-6418.