Have you put off making that resolution? Visit the library and find lots of inspiration for the next big thing you’re going to do this year. To get you started with one, here’s a post written by Frank Xu, manager of Central Library’s Multilingual Center and 16-year staff member of BPL.
If you walk into the Multilingual Center, don’t be surprised by the sounds of Spanish, French, Portuguese and other languages, as if an international event was going on.
Whether you are a new American wishing to learn English, a business person engaged in international trade, a vacationer preparing to travel abroad, or someone who simply enjoys language learning, you can improve your linguistic skills at the Multilingual Center.
We offer conversation groups, which include—in addition to the languages mentioned above—Chinese, English, Italian, Japanese and Russian. All of them are free, without a registration requirement. Students simply walk in and join the conversation facilitated by volunteer teachers.
Your skills can also benefit from our variety of print and audio materials. A computer in the Center is equipped with Rosetta Stone, which can be used to learn English and nine other languages within the library.
For immigrants’ needs, the Center also has U.S. citizenship test tutoring, job search help in Spanish and Chinese, computer classes in Spanish and French, and Russian literary and film series.
We even offer cultural dance workshops! Just give us a call at 718.230.2417 to confirm the schedule.
Last year, nearly 5,000 participants came to the Center’s language conversation groups and other programs, making it a dynamic community center indeed. Just like them, you are welcome to the Center to support the library and to participate in our programs to enrich your life!
