From bestselling novels and historic maps to a digital camera and a 3D printer, the Park City Library has a diverse collection to explore. It’s a hub of discovery for curious minds of all ages with more than 350,000 books, movies, magazines and creative tools.
And the collection of offerings only continues to grow.
Spanish Services Librarian Flor Santa Maria transitioned to the role last year in an effort to improve the Spanish and bilingual options at the library. Now, there are weekly events designed to bring the community together such as opportunities for educational classes like language learning in addition to relaxed gatherings focused on reading.
“I enjoy having the possibility to grow the collections and come up with new programs and events and things to cater to the Latino community a little more,” said Santa Maria. “I’m trying to do more and even expand popular programs that we already offer, to offer them in Spanish as well.”
The Park City Library provides a variety of Spanish and bilingual programs for both children and adults including story times for young learners throughout the week. Santa Maria said it’s a perfect opportunity for people starting their Spanish learning journey. The sessions incorporate early literacy tips, sign language, songs, and interactive learning.
The librarian has seen significant progress among many language class attendees, including native Spanish speakers looking to practice their English and native English speakers wanting to learn more Spanish.
The adult English-Spanish Conversation Club also recently expanded to being held from 6 to 7 p.m. every Monday. The club provides an informal space to practice both languages through discussions and guided prompts. While not a formal language learning class, the program encourages language development and cultural exchange.
Santa Maria noted some classes also include individuals with other native tongues, such as a Deutschlander who speaks English and joined the English-Spanish Conversation Club with a desire to improve their Spanish. Santa Maria said the individual has since made great strides.
On Tuesdays from 10 to 11 a.m., there’s Bilingual Baby followed by a Bilingual Story Time from 11 a.m. to noon.
Starting in March, the library will also introduce “Chats in the Kitchen,” a gathering held in partnership with Latino Behavioral Health Services at 10 a.m. on the second Wednesday of each month.
This program fosters community connection through conversations about mental health while preparing simple meals together. This program is primarily held in Spanish, but it’s open to participants of all language levels.
While Santa Maria has made great strides in revamping various programs, she envisions an even broader range of offerings in the future. She encourages community members to get involved and share their needs and suggestions because she wants to know what they would like to see available at the library.
“We try as hard as we can to accommodate everybody. If you really want a book that we don’t have here, you can request it,” Santa Maria said. “There’s a form on our website to request that we purchase a book, and if we don’t purchase it, we’ll still contact a different library to see if we can borrow it from them to give it to people here.”
Fridays feature fully Spanish sessions, beginning with Spanish Baby time at 10 a.m. and Cuentos y Cantos at 11 a.m., which includes storytelling and interactive songs. All language levels are welcome and the sessions are a great opportunity to build on Spanish language skills, Santa Maria said.
A Bilingual Story Time also takes place every Saturday at 10 a.m. for children of all ages.
As the programs continue to expand, the need for volunteers — especially bilingual or Spanish-speaking volunteers — is more present than ever.
Those interested in volunteering can reach out to Santa Maria directly via email at [email protected]. The library will review inquiries and coordinate the next steps. Volunteers are asked to commit to at least five hours per month.
Additional availability is always welcomed, said Santa Maria, especially for bilingual or Spanish-speaking volunteers who can assist at community events, such as health fairs or bilingual programs.
Santa Maria encouraged those with ideas for community programs that may lack the space to implement them to reach out. The Park City Library always welcomes new initiatives that help meet the community’s needs.
“We try to be a space that everybody can utilize, a safe space,” said Santa Maria. “If you need books, or if you need just a quiet place to study, or if you need somewhere to watch a movie, you can even do that. We’re a great free space for the community to utilize and explore.”
