Albany Public Library expands language collection

The Albany Public Library now offers a collection of books for non-English speaking families. The collection features books written in Spanish, Arabic, Pashto, Farsi and Karen.

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)-- The Albany Public Library now offers a collection of books for non-English speaking families. The collection features books written in Spanish, Arabic, Pashto, Farsi and Karen.

According to the library, when deciding which languages to feature, they selected the five most common languages, other than English, spoken at home by students in the City of Albany School District. About 18% of the district's students speak one of the five languages featured in the collection.

"Reading and hearing stories in your family’s native language is a profoundly important way to encourage a love of reading, as well as strengthen a family’s cultural bonds," Andrea Nicolay, APL executive director said. "The launch of this collection marks the first year of a multi-year effort to increase our holdings in all of the languages spoken in Albany, and it wouldn’t be possible without these special funds."

The collection of books contains over 300 new books for pre-kindergarten to eighth grades. Containing popular titles like Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, available in Arabis to I Love Winter by Shelley Admont, available in Farsi. Funding for the collection was provided from an award from Senator Neil Breslin, D-Albany, to improve library services.

"I was happy to support the Albany Public Library and provide funding for their new Children's World Languages Collection," Sen. Breslin said. "One of the great things about Albany is our diversity, which should be promoted and celebrated. This collection will help strengthen the connection between families and their heritage."

The Children's World Languages Collections will be available at the Washington Avenue, 161 Washington Avenue, and the Arbor Hill/ West Hill, 148 Henry Johnson Blvd., branches. The books can be requested through the interlibrary loan by anyone with a library card.