MATERIALS IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH

IN RHODE ISLAND PUBLIC LIBRARIES: A SURVEY

By Jessica B. Wilson

Reference Librarian

South Kingstown Public Library

Peace Dale, Rhode Island

2002

Reference staff at our library in southern Rhode Island are asked with surprising frequency about the availability of books and other materials in languages other than English. Some materials of this nature are cataloged in the statewide library database and easy to find but many are not. The survey described here was designed to help librarians locate these uncataloged items.

A survey of the 72 public libraries in Rhode Island, conducted in 2002, shows that about half of them hold materials in languages other than English. Formats about which data were requested included books, periodicals, newspapers, juvenile/young adult books, reference books, audio tapes, and videos. Excluded were such things as dictionaries and instructional materials, as the survey sought to measure quantities of materials in use by fluent speakers of the languages.

39 languages were reported. Highest concentrations were in urban libraries but considerable numbers were found elsewhere as well. The most frequently reported language was Spanish, followed by French, Portuguese, Italian, Russian, and Chinese.

A similar survey was conducted in 1995 and the present survey was designed to update that one. The instrument used in 2002 was a one-page chart, customized for each library and sent through the interlibrary-loan delivery, which summarized the data provided for the earlier survey. Space was provided to update the information. A cover letter and a return delivery label accompanied the chart. Libraries were asked to return the information by delivery, fax, or email. Some libraries replied by phone call.

The response rate to this survey was 100%. With some follow-up, every library was eventually heard from.

4 tabulations of data (and an introduction) are provided:

Alphabetical list by library

Alphabetical list by language

Itemized lists for each library

Libraries reporting no holdings in other languages

A link to a list of identification codes is also provided because each library is listed by its code and the alphabetical lists are based on these codes: http://www.lori.state.ri.us/loripro/delivery/search.php/ (click on the gray “search” box)

The survey can be found on the website of the South Kingstown Public Library, http://138.16.137.5/skilib

(To access the report from inside a Rhode Island public library, go to: http://204.17.98.73/skilib)

Last update June 18, 2003