Butler library offers English language course
The typical greetings people will hear when entering the Butler Area Public Library could be followed by a phrase such as “bienvenida a la biblioteca” by the librarians at the front desk.
Arlene Gardopee had been a retired Spanish teacher for a few years before teaching staff members at the library some conversational Spanish in September. That break from retirement will continue when she begins teaching English to Spanish speakers in January in an effort to bring more people into the Butler library.
“It takes a long time to assimilate and to learn the language and all the nuances,” Gardopee said. “People have to be patient with immigrants, because it doesn't happen overnight, and I think most of them are fairly interested in learning to speak English.”
Gardopee will teach an English as a second language class every Tuesday evening from Jan. 16 to March 19. The class and accompanying books are free, thanks to a grant the library received earlier this year.
Dianne McCauley, the library’s adult program coordinator, said the Robert E. and Helen Nixon Forsythe Foundation gave the library a $16,000 grant, which has funded other Spanish programming at the library, including books Gardopee will use in her class.
According to McCauley, the library began adding Spanish programming to reach people of Hispanic heritage in Butler and engage them in programs and services at the library. Since July, the library has had game nights for Spanish speakers, has celebrated Dia de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead, and has put books on the shelves with English and Spanish translations.
“There is about a 2% Hispanic population in Butler, and we're trying to encourage them to come to the library,” McCauley said. “We would like to see that population take advantage of what the library has to offer.”
In addition to Spanish-language programming at the library, Gardopee led a Spanish class for library staff in September to enable them to interact with Spanish speakers who come through the library. She said many staff members were eager to learn Spanish, and they now also have reference sheets around the library with common Spanish phrases printed on them.
“The class went great, actually we had 11 sessions, and I think they got fairly comfortable with the language,” Gardopee said. “We didn't do any grammar; we just did speaking and expressions.”
Gardopee has a master’s degree in English as a second language, and she said she is looking forward to not only teaching native Spanish speakers how to speak English, but also to making them more comfortable in the area. She said she will start on the most basic level of English possible, so she can address people of every knowledge level.
“Since I speak Spanish, I'll be able to make them feel comfortable and explain to them maybe things they don't understand,” she said. “I said to restrict the class to 15 people, because if it gets to be too many people, you can't serve everybody's needs if they need specific instruction.”
Gardopee said the library community has been supportive of the Spanish initiatives this year, and she hopes to see more Spanish speakers be comfortable with English at the library and vice versa.
“The whole idea is to make people feel comfortable, that they're not unwelcome,” Gardopee said. “If you can pronounce their name correctly, if you can give them welcome and ask if you can help them, that would be much appreciated, I think.”
Registration for the class is required by Jan. 4 and can be completed by visiting butlerlibrary.info or by calling McCauley at 724-287-1715.
