Human service organizations struggle to reach and serve the growing Marshallese and Haitian (among other international) populations due to significant language barriers and cultural differences. Language deficiencies force youth with limited language proficiency into mature interpretation roles. Social and economic disparities make it difficult to serve youth’s basic literacy and language needs. An opportunity exists to improve basic literacy and home and English language within the international communities.

EVPL created a social impact librarian role and hired someone ELL certified who was immersed in the international community. Partnerships were established with EVSC and Sounds First to provide support to ELLs. The literacy language program was designed to both develop English language proficiency and respect and nurture the individual’s home language. A mentorship club was established with Marshallese teens to promote educational attainment and foster cultural advocacy and Marshallese language interpretation.

Early success with the literacy language program. After several weeks, non-engaged and nonverbal students not only completed assignments but read aloud in a small group. One participant desired to take the book home to read to their one-year-old sibling. Marrying this literacy program with traditional early literacy pedagogy of librarianship (i.e. storytime) is showing promise. We anticipate developing a summer ELL library program and another in partnership with EVSC.