Project History

Libros for Oregon (LfO) began in 2016 as an LSTA grant-supported project, and in 2018 became a committee of the Oregon Library Association’s REFORMA Oregon Round Table. LfO's purpose is to support Spanish-language collection development in Oregon libraries -- particularly in small and rural libraries – and to help libraries connect those collections with their communities.

 

The two-year LSTA project entitled “Libros for Oregon: Collections Connect Communities” was structured with three main components:

 

          ·  To form an Oregon library book-buying cooperative (changing participants each year) to purchase materials for         

             members at the International Book Fair, or Feria Internacional del Libro (FIL), in Guadalajara.

                    o   While the project is open to libraries statewide (initially only public libraries), it emphasizes opportunities to     

                          support small and rural Oregon libraries.

                    o   The FIL is the largest Spanish-language book fair in the world and the most comprehensive source of culturally- 

                          appropriate books written in Spanish, which are difficult and sometimes impossible to procure via usual means                            in the US. 

 

          ·  To help participating libraries develop and implement outreach plans for connecting their enhanced collections with       

              their Hispanic/Latino communities.

 

          ·  To create a FIL booklist (ideally, annotated to show US availability) for all Oregon libraries to use in collection     

             development.

 

To support this project and expand its impact, we created a fourth main component: this website. Its purpose is to support the mechanisms of the project, including the application process, and to:

 

          ·  Archive and share the annual booklists of purchases made by LfO participants at the FIL;

          ·  Provide outreach tools and resources for participants and others;

          ·  Provide basic information about the project, LSTA grants, and the FIL.

 

Beginning July 2018, Libros for Oregon became a committee of the Oregon Library Association’s REFORMA Round Table. The project, now open to school as well as public libraries, continues with a similar scope.
 

This project was supported in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Oregon State Library.