Ansonia Library Builds Spanish-Language Collection

When Gabriela Pinto reads to her two sons at home, it’s in Spanish. 

It’s very important to my child, reading in Spanish,” Pinto said. The principle language at home is Spanish.”

But unlike parents who read English books to their children, Pinto has few options when she goes to the Ansonia Public Library. 

Ansonia resident Michael Soberany is trying to change that. 

When I first came to Ansonia, I realized that the library didn’t have any Spanish books for the people,” Soberany said. So I began to work with the library to see if we could start putting in material. It’s needed due to the fact that the Latino population in Ansonia is growing.”

The first push was about three years ago. At the time, there were only a handful of Spanish-language children’s books at the Ansonia Library. 

Today, there are a few dozen Spanish-language children’s books, thanks to private donations and fundraising Soberany has conducted in his free time. 

VALLEY INDY GRAPHICChanging Demographics

The Latino community is rapidly growing in Ansonia, according school population data from the state Department of Education. The most recent Census statistics for Ansonia are from 2000.

The number of Hispanic students in the school system almost doubled between 2000 and 2008. 

In 2000, the Ansonia school district had 11.2 percent of its population classified as Hispanic. That same year, the Census identified about 7.4 percent of the total Ansonia population as Hispanic or Latino.

By 2007-08, the most recent school figures available, about 21.8 percent of the school population was classified as Hispanic. 

Ansonia has the fastest growing, and highest, percentage of Hispanic students in the Valley, according to the school population data.

More Books Needed

But the Spanish-language materials at the Ansonia library have not kept pace with the population growth. 

Photo: Jodie MozdzerIn the next town over, there are more than 200 Spanish-language books at the Derby Neck Library, which has a private endowment to help buy new books.

Derby Public Library director Catherine Williams said there are an equal number of Polish-language books there too. 

Soberany says it’s important to have books in a foreign language for two reasons: 

  • Parents who don’t speak English will be able to read to their children and help them develop critical thinking and reading skills.
  • And students in Ansonia schools who are taking Spanish as their second language will have materials to help further their study.

Reading to the children in another language is just as stimulating for the child as reading to the child in English,” Soberany said. What we’re doing in the library is a positive thing for the whole community, regardless of the children’s paternal language, because the child is being stimulated.”

Soberany continues to work with the Ansonia Public Library to grow the collection. They don’t only focus on Spanish. The children’s foreign language book collection also includes Albanian and Polish books. 

Soberany is also gathering private donations for an adult Spanish collection, which now has about 30 books. 

He said this week he will add three bags filled with adult novels and books to the adult Spanish collection. Those books were donated by a person who wished to remain anonymous, Soberany said. 

Spanish Reading Hours

Since November, Soberany and the Ansonia Library have expanded the outreach to Latino families by hosting a monthly Spanish reading hour. 

This month Soberany’s wife, Yajaira, read Big Dog Little Dog“ to about seven children. The book is written in both Spanish and English. 

Click play at left to see a short excerpt from the reading.

The Ansonia Cultural Commission, which Soberany chairs, is also hosting a cultural story hour on Wednesday morning. Francisco Soto will read from his book The Three Kings” while performers act out scenes in the book. 

Soberany said the bilingual books, such as Big Dog Little Dog,” and Say Hola To Spanish,” are a good way to get children familiar with the two different languages at the same time. 

And they expose children to another culture, Soberany said. 

Hopefully we’ll be able to get the community to interact and bond together through diversity and through learning,” Soberany said. 

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