Register Now for Sign Language for Children in Storytime or the Classroom
Sign Language for Children in Storytime or in the Classroom: A Practical Guide eCourse
Asynchronous eCourse beginning Monday, January 18, 2020 (6 weeks of lessons; Participants will have a total of 12 weeks to complete course materials)
Instructor: Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Cost: $250.00 (discounts available for American Library Association members and bulk registrations); Estimated Hours of Learning: 30 (Certificate of Completion available upon request)
American Sign Language is most commonly used in storytimes for babies, but the applications can go much further. In this 6-week eCourse, expert Kathy MacMillan explores the benefits of signing with all children. In addition to learning basic American Sign Language (ASL) vocabulary appropriate for use with children in library and classroom settings, you will also learn to teach stories, songs, and other activities that incorporate ASL. MacMillan provides you with a linguistic and cultural context to help make your programming more accessible.
A few of your assignments will be to create videos of yourself signing, so that you can get direct feedback from the instructor.
Please note that this eCourse can also be purchased as part of the American Sign Language for Librarians eCourse Bundle.
Reviews
“Sign Language for Children in Storytime or in the Classroom: A Practical Guide is one of the most well-organized and rewarding professional development courses I’ve taken. I really appreciated the topics covered and all the additional tips the instructor contributed to the discussion forums.”
“Your methods for teaching, quizzing, and giving feedback for assignments were more responsive than any ecourse I’ve taken so far (on this site or in grad school!)”
“Kathy MacMillan was an outstanding teacher, and I would highly recommend this class to my colleagues.”
“This course was appropriately named. It was practical and extremely informative.”
ASL for Library Staff: Level 2 Starts November 30! Register Now!
American Sign Language for Library Staff: Level 2 (Brand New eCourse!)
Asynchronous eCourse beginning Monday, November 30, 2020 (6 weeks of lessons; Participants will have a total of 12 weeks to complete course materials)
Instructor: Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Cost: $250.00 (discounts available for American Library Association members and bulk registrations); Estimated Hours of Learning: 30 (Certificate of Completion available upon request)
Level up your knowledge of American Sign Language (ASL) along with your library’s services to deaf and hard of hearing library users. Designed to provide more in-depth learning, practice, and feedback for those who have completed American Sign Language for Library Staff Level 1, this course will use readings, multimedia resources, online discussion boards, and hands-on assignments to introduce more ASL vocabulary, grammar, and culture topics relevant to the library setting. Instructor Kathy MacMillan is a librarian and ASL interpreter and will provide individualized feedback via a video project customized to your learning goals. You will also have the opportunity to participate in two live online class sessions to interact with the instructor and peers. The live sessions will be recorded for those who do not attend.
This 6-week, asynchronous online course will introduce more American Sign Language vocabulary and grammar appropriate for use in a library setting and place that information within a linguistic and cultural context to aid participants in improving library services to patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing. Each week will focus on a different aspect of library services and will take approximately 5 hours to complete.
Please note that ALA Publishing eLearning Solutions eCourses on learning American Sign Language focus on library-specific vocabulary and Deaf Culture topics. Even if you have taken a conversational ASL course elsewhere, we recommend that you begin with American Sign Language for Library Staff Level 1 (called Basic American Sign Language for Library Staff in past iterations), as it covers library-specific vocabulary not usually taught in community ASL courses.
This eCourse can also be purchased as part of the American Sign Language for Librarians eCourse Bundle.
Sign Language for Children in Storytime or in the Classroom: A Practical Guide eCourse
Asynchronous eCourse beginning Monday, January 18, 2020 (6 weeks of lessons; Participants will have a total of 12 weeks to complete course materials)
Instructor: Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Cost: $250.00 (discounts available for American Library Association members and bulk registrations); Estimated Hours of Learning: 30 (Certificate of Completion available upon request)
American Sign Language is most commonly used in storytimes for babies, but the applications can go much further. In this 6-week eCourse, expert Kathy MacMillan explores the benefits of signing with all children. In addition to learning basic American Sign Language (ASL) vocabulary appropriate for use with children in library and classroom settings, you will also learn to teach stories, songs, and other activities that incorporate ASL. MacMillan provides you with a linguistic and cultural context to help make your programming more accessible.
A few of your assignments will be to create videos of yourself signing, so that you can get direct feedback from the instructor.
Please note that this eCourse can also be purchased as part of the American Sign Language for Librarians eCourse Bundle.
Reviews
“Sign Language for Children in Storytime or in the Classroom: A Practical Guide is one of the most well-organized and rewarding professional development courses I’ve taken. I really appreciated the topics covered and all the additional tips the instructor contributed to the discussion forums.”
“Your methods for teaching, quizzing, and giving feedback for assignments were more responsive than any ecourse I’ve taken so far (on this site or in grad school!)”
“Kathy MacMillan was an outstanding teacher, and I would highly recommend this class to my colleagues.”
“This course was appropriately named. It was practical and extremely informative.”
ASL for Library Staff: Level 1 Starts September 28! Register Now!
Announcing new sessions of these popular eCourses from the American Library Association – including a brand new offering for American Sign Language for Library Staff, Level 2! Register for one or bundle them all and save! Discounts available for groups and ALA members. See below for details.
American Sign Language for Library Staff: Level 1 (Revised and Updated eCourse!)
Asynchronous eCourse beginning Monday, September 28, 2020 (6 weeks of lessons; Participants will have a total of 12 weeks to complete course materials)
Instructor: Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Cost: $250.00 (discounts available for American Library Association members and bulk registrations); Estimated Hours of Learning: 30 (Certificate of Completion available upon request)
American Sign Language (ASL) is an invaluable skill for library professionals. A basic grasp of ASL enhances your ability to serve deaf and hard of hearing library users and opens up a new world of possibilities for programs. It’s also a marketable professional skill that can translate to public service jobs beyond the library world.
This course is ideal for those without previous experience, or those who have taken basic ASL courses but are unfamiliar with library-specific vocabulary in ASL. Taught by librarian and ASL interpreter Kathy MacMillan, the course will use readings, multimedia resources, online discussion boards, and a customized video project to introduce basic ASL vocabulary and grammar appropriate for use in a library setting. MacMillan will place ASL within a linguistic and cultural context, aiding participants in improving library services.
This 6-week, asynchronous online course will introduce basic American Sign Language vocabulary and grammar appropriate for use in a library setting and place that information within a linguistic and cultural context to aid participants in improving library services to patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing. Each session will focus on a different aspect of library services and will take approximately 5 hours to complete.
Please note that this eCourse can also be purchased as part of the American Sign Language for Librarians eCourse Bundle.
Past attendees say:
“This course has been invaluable to me. I have spent countless hours reviewing all of the video, re-reading the lessons, and just generally trying to absorb as much knowledge as I could. The instructor was a gem in the way that she provided comprehensive answers to questions, feedback, tips and resources.”
“While I had taken ASL many years ago, this class has expanded my vocabulary and boosted my confidence in my abilities. I think it helped that this class specifically addressed situations I might encounter here at work.”
“This has been a great introduction to both the language and the culture!”
“This class was interesting, informative, and entertaining. It opened my eyes to a variety of ideas and concepts that can only make me a better librarian as well as a better person. I thought things were well organized and presented in an ordered and logical fashion, each lesson building on the one before.”
“Ms. MacMillan provided timely feedback to all responses, questions, and comments during the entire course. Her answers show the mastery of content knowledge and her response time shows how much she cares about her students and the topic she is teaching. This was one of the best online courses I have taken, and I will highly recommend this course to others.”
American Sign Language for Library Staff: Level 2 (Brand New eCourse!)
Asynchronous eCourse beginning Monday, November 30, 2020 (6 weeks of lessons; Participants will have a total of 12 weeks to complete course materials)
Instructor: Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Cost: $250.00 (discounts available for American Library Association members and bulk registrations); Estimated Hours of Learning: 30 (Certificate of Completion available upon request)
Level up your knowledge of American Sign Language (ASL) along with your library’s services to deaf and hard of hearing library users. Designed to provide more in-depth learning, practice, and feedback for those who have completed American Sign Language for Library Staff Level 1, this course will use readings, multimedia resources, online discussion boards, and hands-on assignments to introduce more ASL vocabulary, grammar, and culture topics relevant to the library setting. Instructor Kathy MacMillan is a librarian and ASL interpreter and will provide individualized feedback via a video project customized to your learning goals. You will also have the opportunity to participate in two live online class sessions to interact with the instructor and peers. The live sessions will be recorded for those who do not attend.
This 6-week, asynchronous online course will introduce more American Sign Language vocabulary and grammar appropriate for use in a library setting and place that information within a linguistic and cultural context to aid participants in improving library services to patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing. Each week will focus on a different aspect of library services and will take approximately 5 hours to complete.
Please note that ALA Publishing eLearning Solutions eCourses on learning American Sign Language focus on library-specific vocabulary and Deaf Culture topics. Even if you have taken a conversational ASL course elsewhere, we recommend that you begin with American Sign Language for Library Staff Level 1 (called Basic American Sign Language for Library Staff in past iterations), as it covers library-specific vocabulary not usually taught in community ASL courses.
This eCourse can also be purchased as part of the American Sign Language for Librarians eCourse Bundle.
Sign Language for Children in Storytime or in the Classroom: A Practical Guide eCourse
Asynchronous eCourse beginning Monday, January 18, 2020 (6 weeks of lessons; Participants will have a total of 12 weeks to complete course materials)
Instructor: Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Cost: $250.00 (discounts available for American Library Association members and bulk registrations); Estimated Hours of Learning: 30 (Certificate of Completion available upon request)
American Sign Language is most commonly used in storytimes for babies, but the applications can go much further. In this 6-week eCourse, expert Kathy MacMillan explores the benefits of signing with all children. In addition to learning basic American Sign Language (ASL) vocabulary appropriate for use with children in library and classroom settings, you will also learn to teach stories, songs, and other activities that incorporate ASL. MacMillan provides you with a linguistic and cultural context to help make your programming more accessible.
A few of your assignments will be to create videos of yourself signing, so that you can get direct feedback from the instructor.
Please note that this eCourse can also be purchased as part of the American Sign Language for Librarians eCourse Bundle.
Reviews
“Sign Language for Children in Storytime or in the Classroom: A Practical Guide is one of the most well-organized and rewarding professional development courses I’ve taken. I really appreciated the topics covered and all the additional tips the instructor contributed to the discussion forums.”
“Your methods for teaching, quizzing, and giving feedback for assignments were more responsive than any ecourse I’ve taken so far (on this site or in grad school!)”
“Kathy MacMillan was an outstanding teacher, and I would highly recommend this class to my colleagues.”
“This course was appropriately named. It was practical and extremely informative.”
American Sign Language for Librarians eCourse Bundle
Includes all 3 eCourses described above
Instructor: Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Cost: $599.00 (discounts available for American Library Association members and bulk registrations); Estimated Hours of Learning: 90 (Certificate of Completion available upon request)
Register Now for ASL for Library Staff eCourses!
Announcing new sessions of these popular eCourses from the American Library Association – including a brand new offering for American Sign Language for Library Staff, Level 2! Register for one or bundle them all and save! Discounts available for groups and ALA members. See below for details.
American Sign Language for Library Staff: Level 1 (Revised and Updated eCourse!)
Asynchronous eCourse beginning Monday, September 28, 2020 (6 weeks of lessons; Participants will have a total of 12 weeks to complete course materials)
Instructor: Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Cost: $250.00 (discounts available for American Library Association members and bulk registrations); Estimated Hours of Learning: 30 (Certificate of Completion available upon request)
American Sign Language (ASL) is an invaluable skill for library professionals. A basic grasp of ASL enhances your ability to serve deaf and hard of hearing library users and opens up a new world of possibilities for programs. It’s also a marketable professional skill that can translate to public service jobs beyond the library world.
This course is ideal for those without previous experience, or those who have taken basic ASL courses but are unfamiliar with library-specific vocabulary in ASL. Taught by librarian and ASL interpreter Kathy MacMillan, the course will use readings, multimedia resources, online discussion boards, and a customized video project to introduce basic ASL vocabulary and grammar appropriate for use in a library setting. MacMillan will place ASL within a linguistic and cultural context, aiding participants in improving library services.
This 6-week, asynchronous online course will introduce basic American Sign Language vocabulary and grammar appropriate for use in a library setting and place that information within a linguistic and cultural context to aid participants in improving library services to patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing. Each session will focus on a different aspect of library services and will take approximately 5 hours to complete.
Please note that this eCourse can also be purchased as part of the American Sign Language for Librarians eCourse Bundle.
Past attendees say:
“This course has been invaluable to me. I have spent countless hours reviewing all of the video, re-reading the lessons, and just generally trying to absorb as much knowledge as I could. The instructor was a gem in the way that she provided comprehensive answers to questions, feedback, tips and resources.”
“While I had taken ASL many years ago, this class has expanded my vocabulary and boosted my confidence in my abilities. I think it helped that this class specifically addressed situations I might encounter here at work.”
“This has been a great introduction to both the language and the culture!”
“This class was interesting, informative, and entertaining. It opened my eyes to a variety of ideas and concepts that can only make me a better librarian as well as a better person. I thought things were well organized and presented in an ordered and logical fashion, each lesson building on the one before.”
“Ms. MacMillan provided timely feedback to all responses, questions, and comments during the entire course. Her answers show the mastery of content knowledge and her response time shows how much she cares about her students and the topic she is teaching. This was one of the best online courses I have taken, and I will highly recommend this course to others.”
American Sign Language for Library Staff: Level 2 (Brand New eCourse!)
Asynchronous eCourse beginning Monday, November 30, 2020 (6 weeks of lessons; Participants will have a total of 12 weeks to complete course materials)
Instructor: Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Cost: $250.00 (discounts available for American Library Association members and bulk registrations); Estimated Hours of Learning: 30 (Certificate of Completion available upon request)
Level up your knowledge of American Sign Language (ASL) along with your library’s services to deaf and hard of hearing library users. Designed to provide more in-depth learning, practice, and feedback for those who have completed American Sign Language for Library Staff Level 1, this course will use readings, multimedia resources, online discussion boards, and hands-on assignments to introduce more ASL vocabulary, grammar, and culture topics relevant to the library setting. Instructor Kathy MacMillan is a librarian and ASL interpreter and will provide individualized feedback via a video project customized to your learning goals. You will also have the opportunity to participate in two live online class sessions to interact with the instructor and peers. The live sessions will be recorded for those who do not attend.
This 6-week, asynchronous online course will introduce more American Sign Language vocabulary and grammar appropriate for use in a library setting and place that information within a linguistic and cultural context to aid participants in improving library services to patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing. Each week will focus on a different aspect of library services and will take approximately 5 hours to complete.
Please note that ALA Publishing eLearning Solutions eCourses on learning American Sign Language focus on library-specific vocabulary and Deaf Culture topics. Even if you have taken a conversational ASL course elsewhere, we recommend that you begin with American Sign Language for Library Staff Level 1 (called Basic American Sign Language for Library Staff in past iterations), as it covers library-specific vocabulary not usually taught in community ASL courses.
This eCourse can also be purchased as part of the American Sign Language for Librarians eCourse Bundle.
Sign Language for Children in Storytime or in the Classroom: A Practical Guide eCourse
Asynchronous eCourse beginning Monday, January 18, 2020 (6 weeks of lessons; Participants will have a total of 12 weeks to complete course materials)
Instructor: Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Cost: $250.00 (discounts available for American Library Association members and bulk registrations); Estimated Hours of Learning: 30 (Certificate of Completion available upon request)
American Sign Language is most commonly used in storytimes for babies, but the applications can go much further. In this 6-week eCourse, expert Kathy MacMillan explores the benefits of signing with all children. In addition to learning basic American Sign Language (ASL) vocabulary appropriate for use with children in library and classroom settings, you will also learn to teach stories, songs, and other activities that incorporate ASL. MacMillan provides you with a linguistic and cultural context to help make your programming more accessible.
A few of your assignments will be to create videos of yourself signing, so that you can get direct feedback from the instructor.
Please note that this eCourse can also be purchased as part of the American Sign Language for Librarians eCourse Bundle.
Reviews
“Sign Language for Children in Storytime or in the Classroom: A Practical Guide is one of the most well-organized and rewarding professional development courses I’ve taken. I really appreciated the topics covered and all the additional tips the instructor contributed to the discussion forums.”
“Your methods for teaching, quizzing, and giving feedback for assignments were more responsive than any ecourse I’ve taken so far (on this site or in grad school!)”
“Kathy MacMillan was an outstanding teacher, and I would highly recommend this class to my colleagues.”
“This course was appropriately named. It was practical and extremely informative.”
American Sign Language for Librarians eCourse Bundle
Includes all 3 eCourses described above
Instructor: Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Cost: $599.00 (discounts available for American Library Association members and bulk registrations); Estimated Hours of Learning: 90 (Certificate of Completion available upon request)
Save the dates! New sessions of popular eCourses!
Be on the lookout for these popular eCourses from ALA Editions, taught by Kathy MacMillan!
American Sign Language for Library Staff, Level 1 eCourse begins September 28, 2020
BRAND NEW COURSE! – American Sign Language for Library Staff, Level 2 eCourse begins November 30, 2020
Sign Language for Children in Storytime or in the Classroom: A Practical Guide eCourse begins January 11, 2021
All courses feature 6 weeks of lessons (with 12 weeks to complete them) and are designed to be done at your own pace with a mix of videos, readings, discussion forums, and hands-on projects.
Complete course descriptions and registration information coming soon!
In the meantime, check out these upcoming webinars!
Save the dates! New sessions of popular eCourses coming in 2020!
Be on the lookout for these popular eCourses from ALA Editions, taught by Kathy MacMillan! For more details about eCourse content, click here.
Basic American Sign Language for Library Staff
Asynchronous eCourse featuring 6 weeks of lessons (Participants will have 12 weeks to complete course materials)
Winter 2020 Session Begins January 13, 2020 – registration coming soon
American Sign Language is most commonly used in storytimes for babies, but the applications can go much further. In this 6-week eCourse, expert Kathy MacMillan explores the benefits of signing with all children. In addition to learning basic American Sign Language (ASL) vocabulary appropriate for use with children in library and classroom settings, you will also learn to teach stories, songs, and other activities that incorporate ASL. MacMillan provides you with a linguistic and cultural context to help make your programming more accessible.
After participating in this eCourse, you will:
- Have a working knowledge of approximately 180 signs (introduced through video)
- Create two storytime/classroom activities using the featured vocabulary that you can implement in your storytimes
- Understand relevant aspects of child development and early literacy
- Understand signing in a linguistic and cultural context
Sign Language for Children in Storytime or in the Classroom: A Practical Guide eCourse
Asynchronous eCourse featuring 6 weeks of lessons (Participants will have 12 weeks to complete course materials)
Spring 2020 Session Begins March 2, 2020 – registration coming soon
American Sign Language (ASL) is an invaluable skill for library professionals. A basic grasp of ASL enhances your ability to serve deaf library users and opens up a new world of possibilities for storytime programs. It’s also a marketable professional skill that can translate to public service jobs beyond the library world.
Ideal for those without previous experience, this eCourse taught by librarian and ASL interpreter Kathy MacMillan will use readings, multimedia resources, and online discussion boards to introduce basic ASL vocabulary and grammar appropriate for use in a library setting. MacMillan will place ASL within a linguistic and cultural context, aiding participants in improving library services.
Free Accessibility Training and Resources for Librarians from Project ENABLE
The name says it all:
Project ENABLE is the result of an extraordinary partnership between the Center for Digital Literacy, the School of Information Studies (iSchool@Syracuse) and the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University. This project provides free online training modules designed for public, academic and school librarians to help them make their libraries truly inclusive for all users. Thanks to funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, anyone interested in creating accessibility in libraries can access these trainings, and modules can also be customized for individual or group use.
Once you sign up for a free account, you’ll take an initial assessment and then have access to five self-paced training modules, focusing on disability awareness, disability law and policy, creating an accessible library, planning inclusive programs and instruction, and assistive technology in libraries. Each module features interactive learning activities and a brief self-assessment, for a total of ten hours of instruction. Additional resources on the site include a template and checklists for a library accessibility action plan, universal design, Americans with Disability Act compliance, and sample lesson plans for school librarians. A certificate of completion is available for those who complete the training.
With training and resources of this caliber available for free, no librarian has any excuse to plead ignorance about how to provide accessibility. Sign up for a free training account today at http://projectenable.syr.edu/
Recommended Resource: Including Families of Children with Special Needs
Including Families of Children with Special Needs: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians. Revised by Carrie Scott Banks from the original by Sandra Feinberg, Barbara Jordan, Kathleen Deerr, and Michelle Langa. Chicago, IL: Neal-Schuman, 2014.
The original 1999 edition of this book was a powerful resource for creating inclusive public library services; with the explosion of technologies and the intense changes in our society’s discussion of disability since that time, purchasing the updated edition is a no-brainer for any public librarian. For those new to the idea of creating truly inclusive spaces, or those already doing it who want more resources, this is a comprehensive handbook that addresses the basics and beyond.
Persuasive Presentations
Though they’re not nearly as much fun as sharing books, songs, and literacy activities with kids, presentations to adult audiences are often a fact of life for librarians and teachers. Whether you are going to bat for library funding with your board or town council, presenting at a professional conference, or sharing curriculum information with parents, Scott Schwertly’s article, “The Best Way to Outline Your Presentation” over at the Slideshare blog will help you structure your presentation to entice and inform your audience.
Sign Language Interpreters in Your Library: What You Need to Know
by Kathy MacMillan,NIC, M.L.S.
Programming and special events are a key part of public library services, and providing interpretation services for those events is a key part of effective library service to deaf patrons. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that state and local government agencies and public accommodations provide effective communication for deaf people. Under Title II of this law, storytimes, library board meetings, book club meetings, and other open events should all be made accessible upon request. Interpreters may also be requested for other events such as job interviews and staff meetings.
Aside from the legal obligation to provide accessibility, making these events open to deaf patrons is integral to the public library’s mission of providing equal access for all.
In many libraries, however, access is limited by lack of clear policies and staff discomfort with procedures for obtaining and working with interpreters. Many librarians want to provide interpreters, but they simply don’t know where to start. Here’s your get-started guide.
Advertising Accessibility
Your library should have a policy in place about how far in advance deaf patrons should request an interpreter. Two weeks is fairly standard; one week should be the minimum. American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters work in a variety of settings, and most areas have a lot more interpreting work available than there are interpreters to do it. The more lead time you have to find an interpreter, the more likely you are to be able to fill the patron’s request. All publicity materials should carry a note about this policy, as well as clear contact information about where to request interpreters. (Consider providing an email address as well as a phone number when giving this contact information; though most deaf people have access to TTY or video relay service to use the telephone, nearly all use email to communicate.)
The wording of this policy can encompass multiple special needs. Here’s an example:
“To request sign language interpretation or other accommodation for special needs for any program, please contact Jane Doe at least 2 weeks before the program date. (123-555-5555 or janedoe@library.com)”
Some libraries provide interpreted programs on a regular basis, whether a patron requests it or not. This is a wonderful way to welcome deaf patrons, and, with a growing number of hearing parents signing with their hearing children, it is sure to earn you points in the hearing community as well. If you decide to go this route, it’s a good idea to poll members of your local deaf community to make sure your regularly-scheduled interpreted program doesn’t conflict with other deaf community events. In this case, you would definitely want to advertise that the program is going to be interpreted, but be careful of the language you use:
YES: “ASL interpretation will be provided.”
NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!: “This program will be signed for the hearing impaired.”
If you do decide to try providing interpreters at a regularly scheduled program, don’t be surprised if you don’t attract a huge number of deaf people right away. Deaf people traditionally have not been avid library users, simply because, in many cases, libraries have not provided much for them. The best way to build a following in the deaf community is through word of mouth – or, in this case, word of hand. Contact your local association of the deaf or school for the deaf and get the word out.
Hiring Interpreters
The easiest way to hire interpreters is to contract with an interpreting agency. You provide the agency with all the relevant information about the event that needs interpreting, and the agency locates an interpreter from their pool to fill the assignment. Of course, such convenience has a price – expect to pay an agency fee in addition to the interpreter’s fee.
Many libraries prefer to contract directly with freelance interpreters. You can build up your list of freelancers in your area by asking deaf contacts in your community for recommended names, or by searching the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf database at www.rid.org (click on “Find an Interpreter” in the menu on the left hand side of the page). The benefit of contracting directly with freelancers is that it saves money; the major drawback, however, is that you may spend a lot of time on the phone trying to find an available interpreter.
Standard interpreter fees vary depending upon the nature of the assignment and your location, but expect to pay at least $35-$55 per hour for freelancers, and more if you are working through an agency. A two-hour minimum charge is standard throughout the industry, as is a 24 to 48 hour cancellation requirement. Be aware that more than one interpreter may be required for assignments over two hours or for certain special situations such as panel discussions or working with deaf-blind clients.
Though national certification (from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID), the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), or the RID-NAD National Interpreter Certification program) is certainly desirable, it is not absolutely necessary for most of the interpreting needs faced by libraries. If you are working with a reputable agency, you can rest assured that the interpreter has passed the agency’s in-house screening. If you work directly with freelancers, hiring only certified interpreters is safest. Either way, be sure to solicit and pay attention to feedback from deaf clients about the interpreter’s performance.
When you call to contract an interpreter, have the following information ready:
- the date and time of the assignment
- the setting (toddler storytime, board meeting, job interview, etc)
- length of the assignment
- number of deaf and hearing people who will attend
- contact person’s name and phone number
- directions and parking instructions
- as much information as possible about the content of the assignment, including presenter outlines, agenda, programs, and whether any visual aids such as videos will be used
A word about paying for interpreting services: though the cost may sometimes seem steep, you must remember that interpreters have highly specialized skills and training. Think of the cost of the interpreter not as the cost of providing accessibility for one patron or a small group, but rather the cost of providing equal access to all. Since your hearing patrons don’t require interpreters, you’re paying nothing for their accessibility, and the amount paid for interpreting services is minimal when it is divided by the total number of patrons, hearing and deaf, whom you are serving.
Working with an Interpreter
The interpreter’s job is to facilitate communication between hearing people and deaf people. That means the often-used term “interpreter for the deaf” is only half-right; after all, if everyone in the room were deaf, there probably wouldn’t be a need for an interpreter. The deaf and hearing participants are the active communicators, and the interpreter is the link that connects them. This is the most important thing to remember when communicating through an interpreter: speak and look directly to the deaf person or people, and treat them with the same respect you afford to other guests in your library. Follow the tips below to make the communication run even more smoothly:
Before the interpreted event:
- Provide as much information as possible to the interpreter. The more information you can provide in advance, the better a job the interpreter will be able to do. Because American Sign Language depends heavily on context, the more the interpreter understands in advance about what is going on, the more easily the communication will flow. Providing outlines, agendas, etc. when booking the interpreter is ideal, but if that’s not possible, plan to provide at least an overview of the interpreted event when the interpreter arrives (usually 15 to 20 minutes before the start time).
- Think about sight and sound: Your deaf attendees need to be able to see the interpreter, and the interpreter needs to be able to hear anyone who is speaking. Work with the interpreter to find the best place to stand or sit, and make sure that other people won’t be walking in between the interpreter and the deaf folks. Ideally, the interpreter will be lighted from above (not behind), and will be placed against a neutral background. (Having the interpreter stand against a window or patterned wall, for example, would cause a huge visual distraction.)
- Let the interpreter know if you are planning to use visual aids, especially if you will need to dim the lights for any reason. If you are using a video, check to see if it is captioned. If it is not, make sure you let the interpreter look it over before the program.
During the interpreted event:
- Speak at a normal pace and volume. The interpreter will let you know if you need to repeat anything or speak up.
- When asking questions of the audience, remember that the interpreter will always be interpreting slightly behind the presenter. This is because of the way the interpreting process works: the interpreter must hear the English message, process it, and then put it out in ASL. To be fair to the deaf members of the audience, allow an extra few beats before calling on someone to answer your question.
- If you are using any visual aids, such as a PowerPoint presentation, transparencies, or even storytime props, allow time for the deaf folks to absorb the visual information. Hearing people can look at a screen and listen to a presenter at the same time; deaf people cannot look at the screen and watch the interpreter at the same time. When showing a visual aid, show it without speaking for a moment, then launch into your discussion.
- When speaking to a deaf person, speak directly to him or her. In other words, don’t turn to the interpreter and say, “Tell him I said…” Doing so is rude and distracting to both the interpreter and the deaf person, and can actually cause more confusion.
- Though it may be tempting, don’t use the interpreter as a volunteer, aide or object of attention. Most interpreters find it very difficult and awkward to participate while trying to convey what is going on to the deaf person.
- In a setting such as a meeting or discussion group, work out a visual way to establish turn-taking. This could be something as simple as having the current speaker hold a ball or paperweight. This provides a visual cue to let the deaf people know who is speaking, and also puts deaf and hearing people on equal ground when trying to get a word in edgewise.
- When providing an interpreter for a children’s program, consider giving a brief explanation of the interpreter’s role at the beginning of the program, to defuse questions from eager participants: “Miss Kathy is our sign language interpreter today. When we say something in English, she will interpret it into American Sign Language for our deaf friends. When our deaf friends sign something, Miss Kathy will say it in English for us.” And don’t worry about the kids in your story time being too distracted by the interpreter – odds are, they will be fascinated by the novelty for the first five minutes, then forget about it and move on.
- Remember that the interpreter’s job is to say everything that is signed, and sign everything that is spoken. In other words, if you don’t want it interpreted, don’t say it where the interpreter can hear you!
After the interpreted event:
- Ask the interpreter for feedback on how you can make interpreted events go more smoothly in the future. Also let the interpreter know if you have any concerns about how the event went.
- Ask for feedback from the deaf attendees. Understandably, many deaf people might be hesitant to tell you about problems with an interpreter through that very interpreter, so provide them with a contact name and email address where they can send feedback.
- Give yourself a hand! Remember that you have not only made the library more accessible, you have provided a great example of accessible communication for all the attendees of your event!
Kathy MacMillan is a nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter who has worked in libraries for over fifteen years. Find out more about her interpreting services and programs and workshops for libraries at www.storiesbyhand.com.
Storytime Stuff 