The Santa Barbara Public Library System is the recipient of a $10,000 grant from the California State Library to buy bilingual books for children.

This grant is part of the California Immigrant Alliance Project, funded through the Library Services and Technology Act, a federal program administered by the Institute for Museum and Library Services.

The books will be added to the existing bilingual children’s book collections of all branches of the library system, including the Central, Eastside, Goleta, Montecito, Carpinteria, Solvang and Buellton libraries.

California is home to more than 10 million immigrants. The latest available data shows nearly 27 percent of California’s population is foreign born, about twice the U.S. percentage overall.

Public libraries play a key role in welcoming and educating immigrants. The Immigrant Alliance Project was created to support libraries as they create, enhance and extend services to immigrants and their families.
 
The most recent data indicates 32 percent of students in Santa Barbara County are classified as English learners. That percentage jumps to more than 60 percent at some local elementary schools.

Studies show bilingual books are a great way to support literacy in a child’s first language, while also providing the opportunity to practice reading in English.

Continued development of a child’s first language supports linguistic and cognitive development in English and allows students to think, talk, read and write at a higher level than if they were limited to using English.

Bilingual books are excellent resources for parents of English learners, particularly when parents and caregivers are not proficient English speakers.

These books can help parents learn vocabulary along with their child, as well as giving them an opportunity for them to be actively involved in their children’s literacy in both languages.

Sharing bilingual books with children of all backgrounds can help them develop tolerance and more open ideas about other cultures while supporting literacy in multiple languages.

In an increasingly global society, individuals who are multilingual and able to work across cultures are better prepared for a variety of careers.

“The Santa Barbara Public Library System wants our collections and resources to reflect the communities we serve, which is why it’s so important for us to have books in English and Spanish,” said Jessica Cadiente, library director.

“We’re pleased to be able to meet the demand for bilingual children’s books in our service area, and will promote the collection in conjunction with programs we offer, such as bilingual storytimes,” she said.

— Molly Wetta for city of Santa Barbara.