• Your favorite holiday is problematic
• Your family is a mess
• You have no $$
• You are without personal or family traditions
• You don't believe in _______ (fill in thing that requires belief)
• You have food allergies
• You’re struggling with mental health

Here are some things to read (or watch) about those subjects.

Surviving and Thriving During the Holidays, Mt. Sinai Adolescent Health Center

“It’s Okay to Like Problematic Things”, URGE  

Tips for Managing the Holiday Blues, National Institute of Mental Health

Dealing with Grief During the Holidays (Doesn’t Mean Avoiding It), Teen Vogue 

Why Coming Out to my Family is Not on My Holiday To-Do List, Teen Vogue

The Agnostic’s Holiday (written by a teen for teens!)

A Teen’s Perspective on the Holidays with Food Allergies, Food Allergy Research and Education

Local teens create the All In My Head: Real Teens, Real Talk podcast, and there are two episodes about therapy: Therapy Part 1: The Teens features teens reflecting on their mental health journeys, and Therapy Part 2: The Therapist has an interview with a local mental health professional, plus tips for teens on talking to families about mental health and therapy.

This article was written for our Family Newsletter, available in English and Spanish. Please sign up here, and you can email us at learning@multcolib.org with any questions.

From the time kids are born, their brains are learning all the things they need to know so eventually they can put letters together into words and words into sentences. Singing songs and hearing and talking about books and stories help kids learn vocabulary and the rhythm and sounds of a language. Smooshing play dough, cutting paper with scissors, and digging in sandboxes, dirt, or piles of rice help make fingers and hands strong to hold a crayon, pencil, or pen later on when they are learning to write. Making up rules to their own games or creating their own stories helps them with social skills and learning about beginnings, middles, and ends. 

Reading, talking, singing, writing, and playing are all things you can do at home without expensive supplies; just sing and dance around to a favorite song or pick up a book, start reading, and ask questions like, “What do you think will happen next?” to get the early literacy learning started!

If this sounds like the kind of fun learning your family loves, the library has a lot of resources to help!

• Zoom Bags (not to be confused with the online meetings!) are easy-to-grab, age-based bags in Spanish and English filled with books and simple activity suggestions on kid-friendly topics. You can place those on hold and pick them up at your local library! 
• Storytime staff have videos of books, songs, flannelboard stories, and activities that you can enjoy and sing-along with on the library YouTube. You can even favorite and make playlists of the ones your family really enjoys! 
• There are booklists created on a variety of topics to help you find good read-aloud books, including these age-based lists, and you can always get suggestions just for you and your family with a quick email to My Librarian - Tasha, Amy, Kate, Sherita, and Diana all love picture books!

This article was written for our Family Newsletter, available in English and Spanish. Please sign up here, and you can email us at learning@multcolib.org with any questions.

As a parent of three children with dyslexia, I have faced many of the challenges common to caregivers of a youth with dyslexia. 

One of the biggest challenges I faced was navigating school special education to provide access to a free education appropriate to my students’ learning style. All students have a right to Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) through Federal Law.  My kids were not learning how to read in the classroom, and the school didn’t seem to be doing anything. Oregon legislation has changed since my kids first started school, and schools are required to do more to address dyslexia. But is it enough? You may have to advocate for the youth in your life. 

Things to consider...

Mental health:

• Research has shown that individuals with learning disabilities: 
  • may experience increased levels of anxiety.  
  • may be at greater risk for depression.  
  • experience higher levels of loneliness. 
  • may have a lower self-concept (self-esteem).  
  • are at greater risk for substance abuse. 
  • may be at greater risk for juvenile delinquency.
• 20 percent of children with dyslexia also suffer from depression and another 20 percent suffer from an anxiety disorder.

Incarceration Rates 

• Percent of adults in custody with dyslexia: 48% 
• Percent of adolescents with learning disabilities that will be arrested three to five years out of high school: 31%

These facts are alarming. But there is good news … intervention helps! When modern, research based instruction is put into place in grades K-2, the reading disability rate drops.

Knowing where to go or who to talk to get an assessment for dyslexia can be difficult. Many states have passed legislation to identify dyslexia in children early on.  If you aren’t in school or you feel that your school is missing something, check out our Uncovering Dyslexia blog post, which points to places in Multnomah County who will privately assess for dyslexia. 

Resources for families affected by dyslexia 

• FactOregon can be your biggest ally. They provide parent education through web training in English and in Spanish to help parents navigate the school’s special education system. 
• Decoding Dyslexia Oregon Chapter Resource List
• Online support groups for families: 
  • International Dyslexia Association Oregon Local Resource list
  • SEPTOP-Special Education PTO of Portland
• School districts' special education links: 
  • Centennial Public School District Special Education
  • Corbett School District Special Education
  • David Douglas Student Services Special Education
  • Gresham Barlow Assessment and Evaluation Team
  • Multnomah Education Service District Student Services: Special Education
  • Parkrose School District Special Education
  • Portland Public Schools Special Education
  • Reynolds Special Education Services
  • Riverdale Grade School Special Education
• Multnomah County Library's partnership with Bookshare. Free to patrons with print disabilities, one can customize their reading experience with audio, audio + highlighted text and other formats. Adults with a library card can get free access through the library. Students can get access through their school.

Looking for books to share with your family? Here are some fiction books for kids and teens featuring characters with dyslexia, and here are some nonfiction books on dyslexia written for kids. For more information on dyslexia, including some book recommendations for caregivers, please see our previous post on Uncovering Dyslexia.

This article was written for our Family Newsletter, available in English and Spanish. Please sign up here and you can email us at learning@multcolib.org with any questions.

Para muchas personas, conocer a bibliotecarios fuera de la biblioteca es su primera experiencia con la Biblioteca del Condado de Multnomah. La biblioteca brinda servicios creados específicamente para las comunidades que hablan español, ruso, vietnamita y chino. El personal de la biblioteca dedicado a estos idiomas y culturas sale a la comunidad y se reúne con personas de la tercera edad, niños que están a punto de comenzar la escuela y familias en sus hogares.

El equipo bilingüe de servicios en español colabora con escuelas y organizaciones sin fines de lucro para conectarse con los usuarios dentro y fuera de la biblioteca.

En eventos comunitarios grandes, el personal bilingüe de la biblioteca pone una mesa con actividades, libros gratis y otros recursos. El personal ofrece juegos y comparte información sobre cómo la biblioteca puede ser un lugar divertido para toda la familia.

Jeannine González, bibliotecaria juvenil bilingüe, ha coordinado eventos en escuelas, parques y albergues familiares.

Jeannine dice que "el trabajo en los albergues familiares ha sido una oportunidad para interactuar y conectarse con familias que se encuentran en un momento de sus vidas en el que no pueden visitar una biblioteca o los servicios de la biblioteca pública son completamente nuevos para ellos como lo es el caso de muchas familias inmigrantes.”

En cada visita, el personal de la biblioteca trae libros gratis y actividades. "Las actividades brindan una oportunidad para que las familias visiten nuestra mesa y aprendan sobre los servicios de la biblioteca. Cuando la biblioteca regala libros, eso también ayuda a las familias a coleccionar sus propios libros,” dice Jeannine.

La bibliotecaria juvenil bilingüe Pati Morán disfruta conectarse con niños y sus padres en eventos comunitarios. A través del programa Transición Temprana al Kínder (Early Kindergarten Transition), Pati se conecta con los padres que tienen hijos que van a ingresar al kínder. El programa presenta recursos a los padres sobre cómo apoyar a sus niños mientras aprenden a leer.

"A veces, en estos programas también conectamos a los padres con recursos para obtener vivienda y comida o con ayuda técnica como de la computadora,” dice Pati.

Pati también ha conectado a los padres con Alonso Meléndez, el coordinador de inclusión y equidad digital bilingüe de la biblioteca. Alonso desarrolla clases de tecnología para adultos.

"Las clases de computación que doy para adultos son una gran oportunidad para brindar apoyo de una manera cultural y en su propio idioma lo cual ayuda para que se sientan cómodos,” dice Alonso.

Los estudiantes en las clases de Alonso aprenden muchas cosas sobre tecnología. Aprenden cómo encender una computadora y usar un teclado, enviar correos electrónicos, navegar por el Internet y usar Zoom.

En colaboración con El Programa Hispano, la asistente bibliotecaria bilingüe, Laura Bradshaw, trabaja con personas de la tercera edad y se reúne con ellos a través de Zoom.

"Las personas de la tercera edad son una de las poblaciones más vulnerables que presentan una variedad de necesidades, como el acceso a la atención médica, la seguridad económica y las barreras culturales y de idioma, entre otras. Nuestros ancianos experimentan aislamiento y reunirse como grupo en El Programa Hispano ayuda para que socialicen y se mantengan activos,” dice Laura.

A través de este programa virtual, Laura ofrece cuentos, conversaciones y recursos para personas mayores.

"Me encanta escuchar las historias personales de los ancianos, su sentido del humor es maravilloso y siempre están agradecidos,” dice Laura.

¡El equipo de español realiza entre diez o más eventos en la comunidad cada mes! Y no son el único grupo bilingüe que organiza este tipo de evento. Los equipos de la biblioteca también están presentes y brindan servicios en eventos de las comunidades china, vietnamita, rusa y más. Para conectarse con servicios bilingües en la Biblioteca del Condado de Multnomah, llame al 503.988.5123.

In 2021 the library formed an Indigenous team to provide better representation of Indigenous people in the library. The Indigenous team strives to offer multi-generational programs and better access to resources. They also create displays that value elders, youth, storytelling, tradition and activism.

Indigenous Outreach Specialist Eva Red Bird shares that  “The United States has over 570 federally recognized tribes and Portland has the ninth largest urban Native population in the country. Portland was once a federal relocation site and many Native people also moved here during WWII to work in what was once Vanport (like my family).”

Team members represent tribes from different parts of the world. You can find Indigenous team members at Central Library and mid county library locations. 

“I want the library to feel like a community center and a space where everyone is welcomed. Historically, libraries were places where people might have felt intimidated about coming to. I think it's a beautiful thing for our Native community to come into branches and see Indigenous staff who are approachable and to see materials on the shelves that reflect our cultures in a positive way,” shares Eva.

The library’s Indigenous team spends time in library locations and out in the community at events.

“We are prioritizing outreach efforts at Native community events to learn more about how the library can meet people's interests and needs,” shares Ekatrina Sotomayor, Indigenous Program Specialist with the library’s School Corps Division. If you see us at an event, please come talk to us about what is possible!” 

To mark Native American Heritage Month this year, the team will highlight the strength of Native Nations. Displays will celebrate the legacies and ongoing contributions of Indigenous Peoples in the Americas. 

To learn more about the diverse history of American Indian and Alaskan Native Peoples, check out Tribal Nations & the United States: An Introduction from the National Congress of American Indians. American Indian and Alaska Native Culture Card also provides an overview of topics that are important to many Indigenous communities in the U.S., such as cultural customs, spirituality and regional differences.  

Check out these books and resources to learn more about diverse Indigenous authors, cultures, history and lived experience: 

• Books about Indigenous Joy and Resistance
• Senate Bill 13: Tribal History/Shared History Resources
• Critical Orientations to Indigenous Studies Booklist
• New Native and Indigenous Picture, Middle Grade, and YA Books 2022
• Oregon Native American/Indian Tribes
• Since Time Immemorial: Native American Heritage Month

During Native American Heritage Month, Libby and Overdrive will feature three select titles with no holds and unlimited checkouts:  

• A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcy Little Badger (Nov 2-16)
• Red Paint by Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe (Nov 17-23)
• Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Nov 24-30)

Learn more on the library's website.

The library is adding a new selection of Ukrainian materials to its collection! The library has had a Ukrainian e-book and audiobook collection for several years, and there is a collection of over 400 e-materials. This new selection of Ukrainian materials expands the collection, giving patrons an opportunity to check out physical books too.

The new collection includes over 350 physical books, and more will be added each year. Selections include adult and children’s books in fiction, nonfiction and other genres.

“After years of working towards building this collection in our library, I'm thrilled about the opportunity to offer Ukrainian language materials to our Ukrainian community,” says Angela Tveretinova, Ukrainian materials selector. 

The Ukrainian collection will be part of the World Language Collection at the library. You can find the Ukrainian collection at Central Library in both the adult and children’s sections. Browse booklists for adult books and children’s books from the library website and have books delivered to your local library for pick up. 

This combined e-collection and physical book collection means that there are more than 700 Ukrainian materials available at the library. The library is excited to share these books, so make sure to place your hold today!

Lecia Michelle is the author of The White Allies Handbook: 4 Weeks to Join the Racial Justice Fight for Black Women. She is a librarian by trade with experience at universities and public libraries. 

Q: What is your background as an author?

LM: This is my very first book. I have been a librarian for a really long time, so of course, I enjoy libraries, books and learning. I also started a Facebook group back in 2016 that focused on racial justice. We do training in the Facebook group for white women to be allies. Along with this, I started writing a ton of articles about racial justice. So all of that kind of prepared me to write this book, and what I noticed was missing was giving people steps to be an ally. So I decided to write a book that focuses on that part.

Q: How did you develop the four-week program for becoming an ally?

LM: There is too much to do in one week, so this makes it less overwhelming for people who are trying to work on being an ally. I wanted to make sure that each week we built on the previous week. I think this made it more manageable. I also wrote it in a way that keeps you constantly thinking about your own progress, where you are falling short, and also keeps you motivated. 

Q: What are the key tools needed for a person to make a difference in the racial justice fight?

LM: If you are a white person wanting to be effective in racial justice work, you must constantly be doing work on yourself. You have to be aware of how you're contributing to the problem or how you have contributed to the problem, and you have to be able to fix it. It’s very daunting to have to confront people who you consider friends or family, but you have to because those are the people that you have the most influence over. So those are the ones that you may need to have a conversation with about race.

Q: If you could give people one piece of advice on how to make a difference in racial justice or what the next step is to take, what would it be?

LM: Keep working toward the goal of antiracism work. So if you are getting tired, frustrated or overwhelmed, have an accountability partner you can talk to about that, but you have to keep going. I’ve met so many people who start out and then they get burnt out. Well, you know, it’s very privileged to say I’m tired. I don't want to do this anymore. But I don’t get to step away from Blackness. It is who I am. So I just say, understand that when you say you will do ally work and antiracism work, that my expectation is that it is a lifelong commitment and should be a lifelong commitment. 

Q: Your program 7 Questions About Allyship You Were Afraid to Ask, is coming up on Thursday, October 20. What do you hope people get out of this experience?

LM: I hope they are less afraid of either starting to be an ally or really stepping up their ally game. I hope I can make them feel more comfortable to be an ally and speak up and understand that part of your ally journey is going to be making mistakes and speaking up. 

Check out author Lecia Michelle’s book recommendations!

• Admissions: A Memoir of Surviving Boarding School by Kendra James
• Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
• Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
• The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
• The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story
• Wahala by Nikki May

Over three million children in the United States experience a disability and almost all of them attend school.

This wasn’t always true. Read Judith Heumann’s memoir of her life as a disability rights activist or watch the documentary Crip Camp to learn about the political and social fight for the rights of people with disabilities to receive an education, hold a job, and access the community.  Through these fights, the government formed the systems we use today to ensure that children with disabilities receive a free and appropriate public education.  

Look out: acronyms ahead!  You may need a special education glossary like this one from understood.org. Understood.org is a fantastic resource for parents looking to understand the special education system, what you can expect, and how to advocate for your child.

Birth to Kindergarten

Some disabilities are apparent from birth, and some come to light in the first years of growth and development.  In Multnomah County, the Multnomah Early Childhood Program (MECP) provides early intervention services for children with disabilities between birth and kindergarten.  

If you have a concern about how your child sees, hears, walks, talks, plays, or learns between birth and kindergarten, you can ask for a developmental evaluation.  Screen your child’s development using this online tool from the Oregon Screening Project out of the Center for Human Development at the University of Oregon.  Call 503-261-5535 to get in touch with MECP for early intervention services.  They will do several observations and interviews to assess your child.

The results of the MECP evaluation may diagnose your child with a disability and qualify them for early intervention special education services.  Early intervention could include services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, parent education, and special education preschool.    You’ll meet with a team to develop an Individual and Family Support Plan (IFSP) that outlines which services your child and family will receive, how much, when, and where.  MECP services are free.  They are part of public school.

School Age

Children with disabilities in grades K-12 have Individualized Education Plans (IEP) or 504 Plans.  Both outline what services and accommodations a child needs to be successful at school. 

A child will qualify for an IEP if they have one of 13 disabilities defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  IEPs have a more formal, standardized format and process for describing a child’s present levels of development, their annual goals, accommodations and modifications, service levels, and classroom placement.  

A child qualifies for a 504 Plan if they have any disability that interferes with their ability to learn or navigate their school day.  There is no standard format, but the plan usually lists the services, accommodations, and supports the school will provide and the names of the people who will provide them.  

Learn more about the differences between an IEP and 504 Plan and what you can expect from each.  

If a child has an IFSP, you and your team will write an IEP or 504 Plan when they go to kindergarten.  

Some disabilities may not become apparent until a child enters school: ADHD or dyslexia for example.  Parents or educators who notice a child struggling in school can request an educational evaluation.  That evaluation may lead to a diagnosis and an IEP or 504 plan.  Getting an evaluation and effective IEP after starting school has been known to require persistence. 

When an IEP is in place, the child’s entire educational team meets annually to write the IEP for the coming year.  As a parent, you are an important part of that team.  The IEP includes a section for parent input where you can write about your child’s strengths, interests, and challenges to help the school know your child.  Your child is assessed every three years to determine that they still qualify for special education services.

Graduation and beyond

During the IEP meeting of your child’s sophomore year of high school, you’ll begin talking about diploma options and plans for after high school. 

Getting help

You don’t have to navigate this system alone!  Families and Communities Together (FACT Oregon) is a statewide group offering broad support for families experiencing disability. They offer help through parent education, connection to community, and a support line connecting you with other parents to help answer questions.  The IEP Toolkit and The IEP: What You Need to Know online training are two of their most popular resources.

Special education can be complicated and confusing, and you might feel you need a second education about special education.  The many resources and support options help you understand and advocate for your child throughout their school life.

This article was written for our Family Newsletter, available in English and Spanish. Please sign up and you can email us at learning@multcolib.org with any questions.

How the library promotes literacy through music

On Tuesday, Aug. 30, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners held a board briefing at which library representatives spoke about the critical connection between music and literacy, and the impact writing and music production has on youth in detention settings.

Director of Libraries Vailey Oehlke introduced the Board to the work that Jody Redifer, a Multnomah County Library Black Cultural Library Advocate, and David Shine, a social studies and English teacher for the Multnomah Education Service District (MESD), have brought to the Donald E. Long School (DEL) for the past three years through the Books to Beats program. 

Guest speakers also included Cherie Hernandez-Archuleta, a 17 year old who participated in the music program and volunteered in the Donald E. Long Detention Center's on-site library, as well as five-time Grammy Award winner and Portland native, Esperanza Spalding.

Jody provides a variety of library services to youth who are incarcerated at the detention center. There, they have access to a collection of over 8,000 books, library volunteer programs, and music classes with a recording studio. 

While he has selected some titles, Jody says he’s found that, “kids are the best selectors for their library.” He encourages them to read books out of their comfort zones and works with the teens to find culturally specific books and biographies written by people from marginalized communities.

Many of the youth incarcerated at the Donald E. Long Detention Center interview for the popular library volunteer program. All get hired and through the position, find an invaluable opportunity to learn about books and literacy.

“They help me curate the collection based on what they see and don’t see in the library,” says Jody.  

However, both Jody’s and the youth’s favorite way to engage with the library is through music class, or “studio time.” Students come to class with notebooks full of lyrics, and a newfound determination to succeed in their school work and change their lives.

One example of this is Cherie, who was previously detained at the detention center, and was among those who found refuge in studio time. She shared her story about how she grew up in the system and in and out of group homes. When Cherie discovered she could volunteer at the library, she took the opportunity.

“I completely changed and it really wouldn't have been if it wasn't for Jody and the recording studio this time around,” says Cherie. 

“I was reading about this poet Jimmy Santiago Baca, and how he learned how to read and write on his own in prison. And I just started writing poetry, and I fell in love. I loved that I could figure out how to rhyme and put my feelings on paper and make it all make sense to me — a different coping skill,” says Cherie. 

Cherie worked with Jody to record her poems in the recording studio. 

For many students at Donald E. Long School, the library’s music program is the first time they have an opportunity to learn how to write music, or even express their feelings through the written word. It’s also the first time they can learn how to use a recording studio, make beats and see it all come together. 

“I have recorded youth talking about absolutely heartbreaking upbringings and the things that happened to them. I have also recorded youth talking about their greatest joys and very special people in their lives. In these sessions, I see a lot of common threads among the youth at DEL, and among youth in general,” says Jody.

David Shine helps students develop their writing skills through his English classes. 

“I use music in my curriculum every day… I use it to teach writing, figurative language, narratives, abstract thoughts, current events, history —  the list continues,” says David. “When we talk about literacy, it goes far beyond reading and writing. Literacy is really about the ability to communicate effectively through various channels.”

“Poetry in its purest form is reliant on rhythm, form, structure, and pattern, as is music,” he continued. “Even spoken traditions and oral word poetry, they rely very heavily on rhythm, pattern and structure.”

David then shared testimonies about students who he has worked with in this music program that because of it, recommitted to school, left the detention center in good standing and have continued on with their education - even one who graduated and is now a youth counselor. 

“It’s really pretty amazing when you get a group of kids together who wouldn’t even even talk on the streets, or who may even be from rival gangs, and you see them working together and helping each other write and critique the music. There’s usually a lot of laughing and joking around that happens as well,” says Jody.

Acclaimed musician Esperanza Spalding spoke of how music has influenced her life, sharing that it was through music and the library that she was able to fulfill her schooling and feel a sense of belonging. 

“Music was the only place that I felt capable, where grownups were affirming my intelligence and my capacity,” says Esperanza. “(The library) was also the place where the books I needed to fulfill my home schooling requirements came from.”

She shared how one of the pivotal moments of her adolescence was coming to the Central Library for a jazz program where musicians welcomed any young person that would want to learn about instruments.

“There is something about feeling invited in, as a young person, where you felt rejected by adults who are holding the keys to kind of this brain based future of academic or good writing, where you are just not welcome. I remembered this sensation of  ‘Oh, I'm welcomed in,’” says Esperanza.

Esperanza also shared her experiences as a student, a musician and as a professor at Harvard University — specifically speaking to how music is a connecting thread between all of us, and she and others have rediscovered a love for learning through music. 

The music program and partnership between the library and Donald E. Long School has inspired many young musicians to open up to learning and a new path in life. Jody sees a wide range of opportunities for youth to participate in similar programs, outside of detention settings in libraries.

“You never know what talent you might find at Multnomah County Library…or somebody might not know what talent they have or what they are into…so if we can get recording spaces into libraries, I give my personal guarantee that they will be in constant use,” says Jody. 

“I choose to do this work because I was justice-involved as a youth and young adult, and I know that everyone is a work in progress and everyone has the capacity to make different decisions and take different actions for better or worse. We, as humans, are never the same person as we were the day before.”

Watch the board briefing.