About Us:
South Providence Library is a beautiful neighborhood library serving a Latino-majority community in a historic urban setting. The population within a half-mile radius comprises some 13 thousand residents. Several schools are within walking distance of the library, including one middle school and three elementary schools, whose teachers and students make regular use of the library’s programs and resources. St. Michael’s Church (Catholic) and the Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence are two important presences in the immediate neighborhood.
The library consists of one floor, with office and programming space downstairs. Large collections of Urban Fiction and Spanish-language fiction and nonfiction are particularly well used by adults. A children’s reading room offers comfortable space for children with accompanying adults. Teens have their own small room for reading and quiet hangout.
Adult programs include ESL, GED, and Spanish classes. Under Carolina Briones’s leadership, numerous programs for Latinos are offered at the library, including an active monthly book club, authors’ visits, readings and performances, computer classes, and family events. These always draw a crowd and are a vital part of the cultural life of the Latino community. Children’s programs include Pre-Kindergarten support, craft and game hours, and homework help. In addition, the library offers 11 public computers, a scanner, a photocopy machine, and fax service – all of which are very well used.
The library is dedicated to serving the community’s many recreational, informational, and educational needs. Celebrating our community’s linguistic diversity, while supporting language learning for our residents at all levels, is a core value for the library. We welcome volunteers, and are always open to ideas, projects, and partnerships.
