Bonjour (hello!) and bienvenido (welcome!) Whether you want to learn to converse with a new friend, brush up on a foreign language you learned in high school for business, or are traveling (or moving!) somewhere new and exotic, your Worcester Public Library has a number of resources to support your language learning goals.
Library Materials to Borrow and Take Home
Our language learning materials for languages other than English are located in the 400s on the 2nd floor of the Main Library. You can borrow books, CDs, and combination sets to study more than 100 languages!
Our World Languages Collection offers fiction and nonfiction print books in nearly a dozen languages. We have materials in:
- Albanian
- Arabic
- Chinese
- French
- Italian
- Polish
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Spanish
- Ukrainian
- Vietnamese
Our DVD Collection includes foreign films in Arabic, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Persian, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish and Vietnamese. Watch, listen in the native language, and turn on the English subtitles to increase your comprehension.
Additionally, you can ask a staff member to request a deposit collection of materials in languages we may not have, from other libraries in the Commonwealth.
The Children's Foreign Language Collection is a great place to begin when you need basic information on a topic, and language learning is no exception! Visit the third floor to browse language learning resources for a juvenile audience, and check out materials like bilingual picture books to read with your child, illustrated first dictionaries, and collections of materials in other languages from around the world.
Online Learning
Online, Mango Languages is a free digital resource that allows you practice 70+ languages from anywhere on your phone or tablet. Learn romantic Spanish phrases, practice an Arabic dialect, or expand your vocabulary through a Mandarin film! Download the free app for Apple or Android devices, and set up an account with your library card to track and remember your progress through the set of lessons. Our Library Card Application is available in Arabic, Chinese (simplified and traditional), French, Portuguese, Spanish and Vietnamese; proof of your current address is all that's required for a free card.
If you're a library staff member who needs to improve your Spanish for use at la bibliotecha (the library), Mango Languages has a two-part module to help library staff converse with Spanish-speaking patrons to help them use a computer, get a library card, or direct them to resources.
Classes
If you are an English Language Learner, we offer informal practice with our English Conversation Circle on Tuesdays from 5:30-7:30pm in the first floor ellipse. Practice speaking English in a relaxed, comfortable place, and meet new friends as we learn by talking together.
For a slightly more formal experience, Everyday English Class meets on Monday and Wednesdays from 10:00am-12:00pm in the first floor meeting room with Holly from RICEMA, where students learn English using real-life scenarios. Drop in to this student-centered class which focuses on English used in everyday conversations. Classes are mixed level. No registration is required, and students can join anytime.
Please check the Library's Events Calendar to confirm these events in advance of attending. The library can also assist in finding curriculum-based English courses in the Worcester area.
Additionally, English as a Second Language Classes (ESOL) are offered through the Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester. Their office is located on the third floor of the Library, and they offer 3 semesters each year in fall, spring and summer, both in-person offsite (morning/afternoon) and online (evening) classes on weekdays, for three, in three levels: survival, beginner and intermediate. One-on-one tutoring services are also available. Email info@lvgw.org or call or WhatsApp 508-754-8056 for more information.
Additional Support
When you call or visit the library and aren't comfortable communicating in English, we may be able to locate a staff member that speaks your native language. When we can't, we use Language Line to connect to a translator by phone or video conference to help us understand one another in pursuit of your library-related requests.
The Library does not provide translation of documents, but offer referral to direct those in need of such services
The Library provides Services for New Americans & English Learners, as well; for additional assistance, drop in to ESOL Navigator Program at the Main Library in the New Americans Corner Monday or Tuesdays between 1:00-4:00pm or Fridays between 10:00am-12:00pm.
