Creating Resource Websites for Educators ServingHispanic Students

Developed by

Dr. Barry M. Bishop

University of Houston-Clear Lake

Adjunct

Objectives

At the end of this module, the participant will have an awareness of

Subscription Online Databases serving Spanish readers

Institutional and organizational websites translated into Spanish

General websites created for Spanish readers

To Think About

What criteria do you use to evaluate any resource—any website?

How do you meet the needs of any patron/client/customer?

To Think About – Possible Answers

Good criteria for evaluating any resource or web site should be used for evaluating Hispanic resources.

You meet the needs of Hispanic patrons the same as any other patrons—you listen to their need, ask clarifying questions, and try to match their need to the Library resources.

To Think About – More Possible Answers

When trying to match Hispanics’ needs to the resources of the Library

Culture

And Language

Need to be considered the same as for any patron.

To think About

Do Hispanics use the Internet less or more than others?

For what do Hispanics use the Internet?

Read the next 5 slides to give you a perspective on these questions.

Internet Use by Hispanics (1)

Hispanic online consumers are more active in online activities than non-Hispanic counterparts

(Cobo, Leila. (2003, August). AOL Targets Hispanic Fans. Billboard.

Internet Use by Hispanics (2)

English is no longer the primary language of the Internet users.

Non-English speakers use of the web went from 20% in 1996 to 62% in 2004

(Conhaim, Wallys W. (2004, October). Perspectives. Information Today Section: The Global Net.

Internet Use by Hispanics (3)

Hispanics are getting on the Internet faster than other groups in the US.

59% of Hispanics polled used the Internet in 2003 up from 47% in 2000 (study University of California, LA).

(2003). Running Online. Hispanic, 16 (10), 13.

Internet Use by Hispanics (4)

US Dept. of Commerce reported in 2002 that Hispanics were among the most rapidly growing group of Internet users at the time.

Hispanic teens report using the Internet for such things as finding information.

Hanway, S. (2003). Minority Teens Less Likely to Socialize Via Web. Gallup Poll Tuesday Briefing, 1.

Internet Use by Hispanics (5)

Nearly 2/3 of whites and Hispanics use the Internet

1/3 of Hispanics log on for news—a larger percentage than whites (UT at Dallas study)

Nelson, C. M. (2004). Ethnic Gap on Internet Narrowing, Study Says. Dallas Morning News.

Three Types of Web Resources

I. Online database subscriptions

II. Institutional or organizational websites

III. General websites

I. Online Database Subscriptions - Description

These resources are books, magazines, and newspapers delivered over the Internet for a feeThese resources have been written by authorities and gone through the editorial processThese resources are as reliable as the books in your Library

I. Online Database Subscriptions meet Spanish reader needs in 3 ways

1. Search screen instructions in Spanish and returned items in Spanish

2. Search screen instructions in English and some returned items in Spanish

3. Search screen instructions in English and returned English articles contain Spanish search term

1. Search Screen Instructions in Spanish and Returned items in Spanish - Examples

Britannica’s Spanish Encyclopedia-- Enciclopedia Universal en Espanol. All instructions are in Spanish as well as all articles retrieved.World Book’s Spanish Encyclopedia-- Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos. All instructions are in Spanish as well as all articles retrieved.EBSCOhost Espanol has the search screen instructions in Spanish but returns the articles in their original language (mostly English). Best to use English search terms. Articles may be translated into Spanish (about 85% accurate)

2. Search Screen Instructions in English and Some Returned Items in Spanish - Examples

ChildrensEbooks has some books in Spanish. Instructions are all in English. There is no way to translate instructions or English books into Spanish.Unitedstreaming (video streaming) does not have instructions in Spanish but does have some videos in Spanish searched and retrieved by using Spanish words in the search box.Gale does have a database called Informe. The search screen instructions are in English. If you use a Spanish word in the search you will probably retrieve articles in Spanish but some also in English that happen to contain the Spanish word within them.NewsBank has a Spanish module called Noticias. Like many other vendors, this module costs extra. It works similar to Informe.

3. Search Screen Instructions in English Returned English Articles contain Spanish search term - Examples

Facts on File does not contain a Spanish search screen instructions. Nor does it seem to contain many articles containing Spanish words. Nor a means to translate the English articles into Spanish.ABC-CLIO does not have a Spanish version of the search screen instructions. Nor does it seem to have many articles that contain Spanish words. Nor a means to translate the English articles into Spanish.AP Multimedia Archives does not have a Spanish version of the search screen instructions. Nor does it seem to have many articles that contain Spanish words. Nor a means to translate the English articles into Spanish.

Translation

Any English article from any online subscription Database could be copied and pasted into a universal translator website like Babel fish at the AltaVista Search Engine site. Again the translation will only be at best 85% accurate.The translation is word for word and much meaning is lost.

II. Institutional or Organizational Websites - Description

These resources are created by known and generally accepted organizations and institutions that have reputations to upholdOften they are government entities such as the SmithsonianThey may be non-profit institutions such as the American Libraries Association (ALA)

III. General Websites - Description

These are websites created by anyone for any reason

Many cannot be trusted to provide accurate information without bias

They must be evaluated to determine their value

These may include commercial sites

Three Types of Institutional or General Websites aimed at Spanish Readers

A. Resources available in Spanish translation

B. Resources created for Hispanics

C. Resources created in Spanish

A. Resources (Institutional) available in Spanish Translation

Federal Websites in Spanish = http://www.odl.state.ok.us/usinfo/topiclists/us-spanish.htmMore Government websites in Spanish = http://library.nevada.edu/govpub/spanishgovlinks.htmlFirstGov = http://www.firstgov.gov/Espanol/index.shtmlUS Department of Education = http://www.ed.gov/espanol/bienvenidos/es/index.html?src=guGenética Websites en Español = http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/education/spanish.shtmlEl Niño websites in Spanish language = http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/tao/elnino/spanish.html

A. More Resources (Institutional) available in Spanish Translation

MEDLINEplus = http://medlineplus.gov/spanish/Museum of Fine Arts, Houston = http://mfah.org/main.asp?target=homeSmithsonian Institute = http://www.si.edu/guides/spanish.htmAwesome Library = http://www.awesomelibrary.org/espanol.htmlTexas Online = http://www.state.tx.us/home.jsp?language=espHarris County Tax Office = http://www.tax.co.harris.tx.us/span/default.aspHarris County Clerk’s Office = http://www.harrisvotes.org/html/spanish/index.htm

B. Resources (Institutional and General) created for Hispanics

Online Hispanic Health Resources = http://www.library.uthscsa.edu/rahc/clhin/webguides.cfm?Topic=Hispanic%20Health

Career resources online: For Hispanics / Latinos = http://www.career.vt.edu/Diversity/HispanicsLatinosResourcesOnline.htm

B. More Resources (Institutional and General) created for Hispanics

Latino / Hispanic Resources = http://www.bodacia.com/hispanic.htm

Resources and Organizations Serving the Colorado Hispanic Community = http://www.rmpbs.org/americanfamily/resources.html

Hispanic Heritage Plaza = http://www.hispaniconline.com/res&res/

C. Resources created in Spanish

Hispanic Studies Research-related = http://www.humbul.ac.uk/output/shortout.php?subj=spanish&type1=research&type2=&ref=suboutHot Internet Sites ¡en Español = http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listspanish.htmlSpanish search engine (Mexico) = http://www.enter.net.mx/xyz/atajos/busc_e.htmlhttp://www.emepe3.com/ Music download site $.99 aimed at Latin cultures (Spanish speakers) around the world.

C. More Resources created in Spanish

http://www.colorincolorado.org/ Website to promote literacy to children speaking Spanish. Encourages librarians, teachers, and community leaders to visit ¡Colorín Colorado!, print out its pages of advice and hand them out to parents, grandparents, and others who care about children and literacy.Cooperative Children's Book Center's "40 Spanish/English Bilingual Books" (www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/bibs/40books/bilingual.htm)Multnomah County (OR) Library's Spanish-language homework site "Tareas Escolares" (www.multcolib.org/libros/ref/sphomework.html).

Evaluating Hispanic Resources

Along with other evaluation skills you may need to read Spanish to evaluate some web sites.

If you do not read Spanish, what do you do?

Evaluating Hispanic Resources - Suggestion

Librarians are supposed to collaborateCollaborate with your Bilingual DepartmentShow them your resourcesIt demonstrates your attempt to meet your common client’s needsSometimes they have money to help with your cause

Comments

In general, mostly government sites and universities and Libraries offer their information in English and Spanish. Often it is the instructions that are duplicated in Spanish and not always all the “articles”.

Thoughts

How do you decide if you need to offer your web pages in Spanish?

Thoughts continued

Evaluate the needs of your patrons/customers the same way an Elementary Librarian decides if her target audience is the lower grades or the upper grades.For example An Elementary Librarian may decide to meet the needs of her lower grade students by creating a very iconographic web page with very little text. Or she may decide to create two pages, one for lower grades and one for upper grades (more text).

Thoughts Continued again

Therefore a Librarian may decide to create a Spanish page or portion of a page to meet the needs of her Spanish speakers just as an Elementary Librarian may decide to meet the needs of her limited readers.

The thought process is the same.

Decisions

If you decide to offer your links in Spanish how do you do it?

Exact duplicate of your English page in Spanish with toggling links on both pages to go back and forth. Or have the Spanish link next to the English link

Decisions continued

How will you decide?Ease of updates.

If you put a toggle link where do you put it?

Many are in the upper right hand corner.

If the user can see the Espanol link without scrolling, that shows the importance you place on the link

Efficiency

As you find references to add to your existing English pages, look for Espanol translations to add to your Espanol pages

References

Bishop, B (2005, May 17). Library Resources Page. Retrieved May    18, 2005 from Spring Branch Independent School District, Library    Information Services Web site:    http://library.springbranchisd.com/library-resources/

(Cobo, Leila. (2003, August). AOL Targets Hispanic Fans. Billboard. Jacobson, M.F. (1998).

References

Hanway, S. (2003). Minority Teens Less Likely to Socialize Via Web. Gallup Poll Tuesday Briefing, 1.Nelson, C. M. (2004). Ethnic Gap on Internet Narrowing, Study Says. Dallas Morning News.

(2003). Running Online. Hispanic, 16 (10), 13.

(Conhaim, Wallys W. (2004, October). Perspectives. Information Today Section: The Global Net.