Overcoming Challenges in Creating a Spanish-Language Collection

Collection development is a lengthy process even for the most experienced librarians, and despite popular belief, librarians are not experts on all genres and topics (though we try to be!). Librarians often turn to journals and other materials to guide them in selecting the best titles for their libraries. But what do you do when those resources are limited? Or in a different language?

More than ten years ago, I was faced with that same challenge when I helped grow my library’s Spanish-language collection. The resources I had grown accustomed to turning to for guidance were limited in suggestions, leaving me to deep dive through internet searches for reviews and awards, all while trying to figure out what type of collection our patrons wanted. Fortunately for me, I can read Spanish decently enough to understand what I was finding. But I still struggled to find the right books for the audience or genre I was looking for. Nothing about the process was easy, and one would imagine it would be an even more challenging task for those who don’t read or speak Spanish.

Despite the high demand for Spanish materials, the process of selecting titles for this collection has not changed that much in a decade; the challenges are still the same. At NoveList, we strive to provide solutions to obstacles that libraries face and Core Collection en Español can provide selectors with the guidance necessary to build a Spanish-language collection with confidence and ease.

Core Collection en Español is the newest addition to our line of Core Collection products, and it provides one centralized location of recommendations that collection development staff can easily access to help in the selection process. Books found in Core Collection en Español includes all age ranges and cover original Spanish-language titles, translations into Spanish, bilingual materials, and support for ELLs. Recommendations are based on the extensive expertise of our advisors who give each title a recommendation level that libraries can use to determine if a title fits their library’s needs. Not only does Core Collection en Español help libraries support their Spanish-speaking patrons, but all of NoveList’s Core Collections provide impartial guidance on reference, fiction, and nonfiction titles, giving librarians the tools needed to help justify why a title should be kept in their collection.

Besides organizing “Comic-Con" type events for my library, collection development was my favorite part of being a librarian. I found it fun and challenging, but it shouldn't be an impossible task. NoveList not only provides a solution to a problem that libraries are currently facing but also makes establishing and maintaining this collection easier for everyone involved, regardless of background or level of expertise.