Diversity in Rural Libraries
Why this Professional Development series?
Did you know.....
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There are 74,100 English Language Learner students (K-12) in MN this year.
- 24,418 people in SW Minnesota indicated their primary language of use at home as something other than English. This does not account for families who are multilingual.
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The most common non-English languages spoken as the primary language in households in Southwest Minnesota are
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Spanish (9,916 households),
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Thai, Lao, or Other Tai-Kadai Languages (922 households)
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Amharic, Somali, or other Afro-Asiatic Languages (560 households).
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Each month this winter, join us in discussing how to take the next steps in diversifying your media collections to better support patrons who use a language other than English. These sessions are not sequential, but will build on each other in preparation for the cumulative retreat.
What is this about?
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Facets of library work with diverse populations in rural Minnesota
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Winter and spring 2024​
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Multilingual Collection Development for Rural Libraries
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May 2- 4, 2024: Retreat​
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- Digging deeper into collection development and maintaining momentum
- Summer and fall of 2024​
Who is this for?
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Rural library staff of all experience levels
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All library types
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Library support staff and volunteers
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Community leaders passionate about inclusivity
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Prairielands regional staff will have first priority for the retreat.
When will it be?
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Winter and spring 2024
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Virtual/online
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May 2- 4, 2024
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In-person retreat on location at Lakota Retreat Center in Slayton, MN.
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Summer and fall of 2024
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Virtual/online
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Find out more
Check out each month's tab for details on dates, locations, and how to get signed up!
Prairielands Library Exchange
109 South 5th St,
Marshall, MN 56258
Phone: 507-532-9013
Toll Free: 800-788-6479
E Mail: info@prairielands.org
Get to Know Us
Prairielands Library Exchange is the state funded library support organization for the 18 counties of southwestern Minnesota. As part of the state’s Multicounty Multitype Library System, PLE has been serving libraries of all types since 1979.
Prairielands works closely with the two regional public library systems, Plum Creek Library System and Pioneerland Library System. Two advisory groups, the Member Council and Teen Co-op, and a Governing Board made up of representatives of all library types in the region, provide governance, guidance and fiscal oversight to PLE.
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This project is funded in part with a grant from the Minnesota Department of Education using federal funding CFDA 45.310 Library Services and Technology Act, Grants to State Programs (LS-25363-OLS-23)