{"id":259,"date":"2023-04-21T19:05:37","date_gmt":"2023-04-21T19:05:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theresettlementproject.com\/?p=259"},"modified":"2023-04-28T23:41:36","modified_gmt":"2023-04-28T23:41:36","slug":"north-hill-library-acts-as-hub-of-services-for-those-new-to-u-s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theresettlementproject.com\/?p=259","title":{"rendered":"North Hill library acts as hub of services for those new to U.S."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Jenna Bal<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The North Hill library has a collection of dual-language children’s books in languages such as Nepali, Farsi and Chinese. Branch Manager Katie Hughes hopes to have a collection of adult books in the languages most often spoken in North Hill in the near future. Photo by Jenna Bal.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When Maurice moved from Mexico to the North Hill area of Akron about one year ago, he felt like he was starting a new life. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all different,\u201d Maurice said, \u201ccountry, language. It\u2019s another life completely.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice, referred to only by his first name for privacy, moved to North Hill when his wife started a new job in the area. Originally from California, his wife and her family were able to speak English easily. But as a second language for Maurice, English was more challenging. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Motivated by his desire to communicate with his wife\u2019s family and make friends in his new home, Maurice started taking English as a second language classes at the North Hill branch of the Akron-Summit County Public Library system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI like coming to English class \u2026 because at my work, I don\u2019t have this conversation,\u201d he said. \u201cAll the time it\u2019s in Spanish, so when I come here my head is changed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the North Hill library offers more than just ESOL classes; it serves as a hub of resources for refugees and immigrants in the North Hill neighborhood by providing services to help them establish a life in the United States. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a vibrant hub for immigrants and refugees, and we are in this neighborhood, so we need to serve the neighbors.<\/p>Katie Hughes, North Hill library Branch Manager<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Although the library looks like so many others with spacious ceilings, brick walls and lots of windows to let in the sunshine, the specific way it caters to the community makes it unique to the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery library looks so different because they are there to work with the community in which they\u2019re situated. Every community has a different population, different needs,\u201d said North Hill Branch Manager Katie Hughes. \u201cThis is a vibrant hub for immigrants and refugees, and we are in this neighborhood, so we need to serve the neighbors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hughes received her bachelor\u2019s degree in journalism before earning her master\u2019s degree in library science. She is passionate about everyone having equal access to the information they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA lot of what I liked about journalism is that it helps people stay well informed. Access to information about what is happening in the world is important,\u201d Hughes said. \u201cThis is one of the cornerstones of librarianship: providing access to information.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Access to information is especially important to refugees and immigrants arriving in the United States who are trying to locate basic needs such as food, housing and employment. But because many of these applications are located online, access to this information is limited, Hughes said. This is one reason why the library\u2019s computers are beneficial to those new to the United States. Patrons can use the computers for up to three hours a day to fill out important applications, and librarians are available to help navigate the process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA lot of the work we do out at the desk is tech help, whether people are English speakers or not,\u201d Hughes said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Patrons can use the library’s computers for up to three hours a day. Branch Manager Katie Hughes said immigrants they can be used to fill out applications needed to access housing, food or employment. Photo by Jenna Bal.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There is also a translation scanner with 64 language options available to help read patrons\u2019 documents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou can scan from other languages to English and English to other languages,\u201d Hughes said. \u201cIt\u2019s not 100% accurate, but it can help out a lot if you\u2019re struggling to understand the English text or a reasonable [translation] to another language.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Library card applications are available in Karen, Nepali, Burmese and Spanish for patrons who do not read English. Applications in Pashto, Swahili and Arabic are also in the works, Hughes said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe used translators from ASIA<\/a> [Asian Services in Action] to translate the three new applications,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is only one example of the library collaborating with outside organizations. It also extends its space for organizations to host events. Teaming up with nonprofits and government agencies allows the library to have a further reach, Hughes said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA lot of it is working with community engagement partners,\u201d she said. \u201cBy making each other aware of our services and programs, they help spread the word to their clients, and we can tell our patrons about services they have.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hughes started working at the North Hill branch in January 2022 after transferring from the Nordonia Hills branch because she is \u201can Akronite at heart,\u201d she said. \u201cI also have history in North Hill. My grandma lived here for decades until she passed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Hughes said she is still learning more about the area which is why working with outside partners is so beneficial. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey have welcomed me and helped me get to know the neighborhood,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd our shared goals make collaborating to improve programs and services for our community a rewarding \u2026 experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ESOL class Maurice takes through Project Learn of Summit County<\/a> is another example of the library teaming up with a community engagement partner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe help the local community, and in turn, they give us the locations so we can help,\u201d said Joshua O\u2019Connor, a Project Learn teacher. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am so happy for the different people and the different countries.<\/p>ricardo, ESOL Student from the Dominican Republic<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

An \u201cEnglish for Beginners\u201d class is taught in the library\u2019s conference room Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Several large tables are pushed together to create a larger space where students gather around, sitting across from each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe like to retain as many people as possible, yet we also encourage new people all the time,\u201d O\u2019Connor said. \u201cSome of these classes do build upon each other. We get to watch these people grow in front of our eyes over months and years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ricardo, referred to by his first name for privacy, is one of these students. He said he goes to class almost every week. Originally from the Dominican Republic, Ricardo moved here to be near his wife and her daughter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHere I am so happy,\u201d said Ricardo referring to ESOL classes at the library. \u201cI am so happy for the different people and the different countries.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The library is also providing a space for the Akron International Institute\u2019s ESOL and citizenship classes while the nonprofit moves locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently, the Summit County Department of Job and Family Services has started to host open house hours at four ASCPL locations including North Hill. The department is on a rotating schedule offering hours at the North Hill branch every fourth Tuesday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hughes said the library is constantly evolving its services. Right now, dual-language children\u2019s books in Nepali, Farsi, Chinese and more are offered on a shelf in the colorful children\u2019s section. Signs indicating language categorize each chunk of stories. In the future, Hughes hopes to have a collection of adult books in the languages most often spoken in North Hill. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat might look like working with Cleveland Public Library to get a rotating collection, but that\u2019s still in the planning stages,\u201d Hughes said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The staff of the North Hill library will also be going through cultural competency training with Akron International Institute to better understand their patrons\u2019 different situations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s to help us understand that each set of arrivals has such a different set of challenges. They may have been in a refugee camp, or maybe they were highly educated and had to leave suddenly,\u201d Hughes said. \u201cEveryone\u2019s situation is so different, so I think in order to serve people better, we need to understand those different challenges in a more comprehensive way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She has high hopes for the library and its continued involvement in the immigrant and refugee communities, Hughes said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m just excited to see how we can expand our services to serve the neighborhood in the best way we can.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Jenna Bal When Maurice moved from Mexico to the North Hill area of Akron about one year ago, he felt like he was starting a new life.  \u201cIt\u2019s all different,\u201d Maurice said, \u201ccountry, language. It\u2019s another life completely.\u201d  Maurice, referred to only by his first name for privacy, moved to North Hill when his […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":263,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[84,30,85,15],"class_list":["post-259","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-esol","tag-language","tag-library","tag-north-hill"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theresettlementproject.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/259","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theresettlementproject.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theresettlementproject.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theresettlementproject.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theresettlementproject.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=259"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/theresettlementproject.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/259\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theresettlementproject.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/263"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theresettlementproject.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=259"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theresettlementproject.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=259"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theresettlementproject.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}