COLUMN: BEST OF THE LITERATURE Beyond translation: Multilingual access in library services Chad Deets ASU Library, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ Multilingualism is a crucial aspect of equitable library service. Recent literature on reading practices, collection development, scholarly publishing, and discovery systems suggests that multilingual access often remains more aspirational than operational. Users may encounter systemic barriers ranging from limited holdings and poor discoverability to monolingual service models, which can undermine cultural connection, identity affirmation, and a sense of belonging. Drawing on examples from diverse library systems and multilingual research environments, this review examines the gap between policy and practice, highlighting applications of strategies and frameworks that can embed multilingualism across services, infrastructure, and daily interactions. public services Quarterly 2025
Our latest #BestOfTheLiterature column highlights the importance of #Multilingualism in providing equitable #LibraryService. This review examines challenges, then provides strategies and frameworks to embed multilingualism across services, infrastructure, and interactions.
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