Potential Ways to Implement the Midwestern Latino Personae

Berto Might Be Considered a "Gatekeeper"

Image of Berto

  • Berto represents the potential to reach a number of otherwise "invisible" community members if he's willing to act as a go-between... however, Berto doesn't follow social media and doesn't use the library; but he is respected in his community and wants people to be happy and healthy.
  • Build a personal relationship with Berto.
  • Help Berto understand the function of the library in society, including professional ethics, so he can tell his contacts that the library is a safe atmosphere for immigrants.
  • Reach out to Berto as a resource when building collections and creating services for Latino customers.
  • Know that Berto's focus is going to be on practical information, but encourage him to recommend leisure materials, too.

Sarita Is Overscheduled and Busy

Image of Sarita

  • Sarita is already a library user. She uses her campus library’s digital services, such as downloading articles and her public library’s online services. However, her use of libraries’ physical facilities is limited.
  • Sarita can be reached through social media. Messages can be in English or Spanish, but should include diversity-affirming and inclusive language.
  • Sarita is unlikely to participate in events because her calendar is already full. Library programming for Sarita might include online options that don’t require her physical presence.
  • Because Sarita is busy, she might benefit from the development of curated collections of materials that would help her in professional and career development, the study of her field, or managing student loans.
  • Good ways to reach Sarita include messages from her professors or from some of the multicultural student organizations she’s networked with on campus.

Luis Can Be a Great Resource for His Family

Image of Luis

  • Luis's habit of sharing information with his family makes him an information intermediary. Capitalize on this status to help build him as a gatekeeper.
  • Luis is bilingual, bicultural, and concerned with helping others and doing right by his family.
  • Format for mobile when communicating with Luis; include videos (ideally with high production value) where possible.
  • Emphasize ease of information access.
  • Remember that right now, his teachers are the gatekeepers to reach Luis.


Marisela Is Potentially Difficult to Reach

Image of Marisela

  • Work with gatekeepers to reach her -- provide bilingual texts and alerts; center messages around how the library supports education, culture, and integration.
  • Remember that social media is not the best way to reach Marisela.
  • Consider working with local health clinics to promote library services.
  • Consider putting "library ads" in church bulletins and making sure clergy understand the services the library can provide.


Juan Is Not a Traditional Information Seeker

Image of Juan

  • Juan’s information needs are mostly related to personal interests in soccer and online gaming. His school largely feeds him the information he needs for his coursework through textbooks and resources, so he has not found a reason for library use yet.
  • Juan is unlikely to see social media messages from the library. The best way to reach him will be through his friends and possibly through his workplace. Because Juan received support for his DACA application through a workshop provided by Catholic Charities, this may be another way to reach Juan or people in similar situations.
  • Programs to attract Juan might include gaming programs and/or game swaps, and watch parties for large soccer tournaments like the World Cup or even the CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) Gold Cup.
  • Services that will benefit Juan include job-seeking information and programs or information about immigrants’ civil rights and legal appeals. However, Juan may not attend these – either because he’s doing something else or because he doesn’t feel that information alone will help him achieve his goals.


Marta Has More Trust in People Who Look and Talk Like Her

Image of Marta

  • Marta probably is one of the "invisible" community members that is harder to reach
  • She's social and friendly, but she's increasingly afraid of being deported, and that fear takes precedence over her outgoing nature
  • Gatekeepers like Berto (who know the lay of the land, who understand her immigrant status, and who can navigate the broader community successfully) will be most easily able to build a relationship with Marta.
  • Libraries can still work to meet Marta's information needs (in Spanish), even without meeting with her individually. With the input of gatekeepers and partner institutions supporting Latino immigrants, plan programming to meet Marta's information needs: ones that emphasize fitness, cooking, or herb gardening; ones that connect people to services regardless of immigration status.
  • Emphasize what she can access from home without fear of being tracked: library databases, consumer health information, and resources to support her culture.