Brooklyn Public Library

Brooklyn is one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the United States; nearly 37 percent of its 2.5 million residents are foreign-born. To better serve multicultural, low-income youth in this community, the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) will establish a Multicultural Intern Program. This program will mesh with other existing BPL multilingual outreach and services, and will provide opportunities for both interns and librarians to share ideas and learn how to better serve a wide range of ethnic communities. The IMLS-funded three-year program will introduce 170 diverse local high school students to the library profession and career opportunities in libraries. Paid internships will begin with students participating in workshops, field trips, and forums during the first two months of each school year before being placed at local libraries. These will be followed by competitive paid summer internships for exceptional students who have performed well during the school year.