Libraries reflect the communities they serve. As those communities grow, change and diversify, libraries evolve with them.
Across the U.S., part of that evolution is currently being shaped by language. In fact, four out of five libraries say their patron base has become more internationally diverse in the past two decades. Patrons are reading, learning and connecting in more languages than ever before, and public libraries need to respond with resources that meets those needs.
To better understand this change, PressReader collaborated with Library Journal to publish the Building Community Connection report, a national study exploring how well U.S. public libraries are adapting their collections to meet the needs of everyone they serve. (If you haven't read the report yet, you can download it here.)
In this post, we’ll review some of the statistics from the Building Community Connection report, examine the resources and formats U.S. public libraries currently use to provide foreign-language content and hear directly from librarians who share how they’ve successfully bridged the language gap.
Librarians inherently understand the role language plays in belonging. When patrons can read, listen or learn in their preferred language, they feel seen as members of the community.
That’s why nearly every librarian surveyed (96%) said international or foreign-language content is important to their patrons to some degree. However, three-quarters (74%) described their current multilingual collections as “limited,” and only a small share (13%) rated their resources as highly visible.
The gap isn’t about motivation, as librarians overwhelmingly want to do more. The challenge comes down to structural issues such as constrained budgets, time-pressed staff and technical hurdles that make foreign-language content hard to source or manage.
The result? Even though the demand is strong, most libraries don’t adequately meet the need for foreign-language content.
Libraries are already finding creative ways to bring the world to their patrons. From digital books to streaming media, many have been putting in the work to expand their collections far beyond their physical shelves.
According to the study, most libraries now offer digital books (75%), movies (68%) and audio materials (66%) that include foreign-language options. But there is one area of foreign-language content that’s still underrepresented: newspapers and magazines.
A full third (32%) of libraries in the survey offer no foreign-language newspapers and magazines at all. Another 26% provide fewer than five options. For smaller and mid-sized library systems, the lack of options often reflects the cost and complexity of managing multiple vendors.
That gap matters, because international newspapers and magazines play a crucial role. They help patrons stay connected to their home countries, maintain family languages and explore global perspectives. Without them, many libraries miss an easy opportunity to reflect the full richness of their communities.
For libraries balancing community needs with tight budgets, the answer isn’t always “more resources.” Sometimes it’s about finding smarter ways to deliver them.
That's where PressReader comes in. PressReader helps libraries serve every reader through a single, easy-to-use platform. With access to thousands of newspapers and magazines from around the world, available in more than 60 languages, libraries can instantly expand their offerings without the costs, maintenance and distribution challenges of individual subscriptions.
Patrons can read on-site or at home, online or in the app, and choose how they engage with the content (e.g., in the original layout, in text view or even through instant translation). It's easy for librarians to set up and analytics are built in, making it easy to see what communities are reading and how engagement is growing.
Libraries across the U.S. are already seeing the difference
At Arlington Heights Memorial Library, Digital Services Librarian Bill Pardue says the platform helped them meet community demand right away:
“We didn’t have a large collection of international periodicals before, even though we serve a very international community — especially with large Eastern European and Japanese populations… PressReader immediately changed that.”
Electronic Resources Manager at Phoenix Public Library, Danielle Stanley has seen how international content builds representation in the library’s collection:
“Phoenix is such an international city, and when you look at what’s popular on PressReader, about half of the top ten publications are in languages other than English. That’s really important — it allows us to provide content that reflects our community’s diversity and serves non-English-speaking customers.”
Together, these stories showcase how PressReader helps libraries close the gap revealed in the Building Community Connection report. It gives patrons the global access they want, without adding strain to teams or budgets.
Language diversity is an opportunity for libraries to connect more deeply with patrons. By making multilingual content visible and easy to access, libraries strengthen trust, inclusivity and belonging, the very values that define their role in the community.
Want to dive deeper into the data? Download the Building Community Connection report here to see the full findings.
And if you're ready to expand your library’s multilingual access, you can learn all about PressReader for Libraries here.