Survival Spanish for Library Staff

1
Survival Spanish for Library Staff

• Instructor
• Bertha Huertero
• An Infopeople Workshop
• 2006

2
Agenda

• Courtesy
• Body Language
• Spanish You Know
• Making Your Spanish Friendly
• Pronunciation
• Basic Words
• Phrases
• Library Situations
• Computer Term

3
Courtesy

• Addressing the Patron
• Sr, Sra, Srta
• Tu vs Uds.

4
Body Language

• Hand Gestures
• Height
• Eye Contact

5
The Spanish You Know

• How many of these words do you know?
• Accidente
• Humor
• Animal
• Auto
• Criminal
• Informacion
• Importante
• Presidente

6
Make your library Spanish friendly

• Hispanic population rose 58 in the U.S. this
  past decade.
• Spanish is Californias second language.
• Remember
• Dont be intimidated by Grammar
• Dont be intimidated by Pronunciation
• Dont be intimidated by Native Speakers

7
Pronunciation Basics
8
Spanish Words are Pronounced Exactly as They are
Written
9
Examples

• adulto
• libros
• devolver
• nuevo
• comprar
• bueno

• guía
• gobierno
• baño
• daño
• llevar
• estampilla

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You dont have to understand every word a patron
says. If you get a few key words you can still
help them.
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Words Phrases

• What? Where? When?
• be familiar with frequently asked question
• have prepared answers

Patrons will often ask the same questions and
request the same services.
12
When patrons ask
Como How Donde Where Quiero I want
(to) Tengo Do I have (to)
13
Library Situations

• You know the needs of your library
• What common situations do you
• encounter daily?

14
Computers

• Library technology is computer driven!
• Library computers are used to
• search the catalog
• place holds
• review their library records
• and more

15
For Spanish that Works visit

• www.thelearninglight.com

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El Fin
(The End in Spanish)