SERVING THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY:WILLINGBORO STYLE

Presenters: Paulette Doe-WilliamsAdult Services Librarianpdwillia@willingboro.org

Sponsoring Group: Diversity and Outreach Section

WILLINGBORO, NJ

• Located in Burlington County, South Jersey

Population

WILLINGBORO, NJ

• 31,587 (U. S. Census 2010)

• White 17.2%• Black/African American 72.8%• Hispanic/Latino 8.7%• American Indian 0.4%• Asian 2%

WILLINGBORO PUBLIC LIBRARY

WILLINGBORO PUBLIC LIBRARY

Active Registration – 30,469

Willingboro Township School District

% New Jersey U.S.

Native 27,587 86.74%, see rank 79.16% 87.13%

Born in the State of Residence

14,340 45.09%, see rank 52.28% 58.71%

Born in Different State 12,451 39.15%,

see rank 24.40% 27.04%

Born in Puerto Rico, U.S. Island Areas,or Born Abroad to American Parent(s)

796 2.50%, see rank 2.47% 1.38%

Foreign Born 4,219 13.26%, see rank 20.84% 12.87%

Foreign Born with U.S. Citizenship

2,625 8.25%, see rank 10.55% 5.71%

Foreign Born without U.S. Citizenship

1,594 5.01%, see rank 10.29% 7.16%

Born In Europe 316 0.99%, see rank 3.56% 1.56%

Born In Asia 509 1.60%, see rank 6.60% 3.67%

Born In Africa 1,095 3.44%, see rank 0.98% 0.51%

Born In Oceania 0 0.00%, see rank 0.03% 0.07%

Born In Latin America 2,229 7.01%, see rank 9.49% 6.79%

USA.COM

Subsaharan African: 1,648 +/-537

Cape Verdean 0 +/-26

Ethiopian 9 +/-17

Ghanaian 17 +/-29

Kenyan 98 +/-141

Liberian 352 +/-223

Nigerian 107 +/-65

Senegalese 0 +/-26

Sierra Leonean 0 +/-26

Somalian 0 +/-26

South African 0 +/-26

Sudanese 0 +/-26

Ugandan 0 +/-26

Zimbabwean 0 +/-26

African 1,023 +/-461

Other Subsaharan African 42 +/-43

Willingboro township, Burlington County, New Jersey

Estimate Margin of Error

Factfinder2.census.gov

Library African Outreach Committee

• An African Outreach Committee was formed. • Committee included the assistant director, 1

librarian and 3 paraprofessionals • 3 Africans ( Ghana, Liberia and Ivory Coast)• Committee held several brainstorming

meetings• A survey was developed as a result of the

meetings

ACQUIRING INFORMATION

PREPARED A SURVEY check marks or short answersno personal informationList of programs you would like to see at the libraryWhat can Willingboro Library do to help you in your daily life

HOW WE IMPLEMENTED THE SURVEY

At the Library• Signage inviting African

immigrants to fill out survey• Staff took turns greeting

people and asking if they would like to take the survey

• Staff provided information and reasons for the survey

In the community• Committee members took

signage and survey to churches, African business centers, other businesses that Africans visited regularly and neighborhood.

Survey Result

Survey confirmed• a substantial

number of Africans in Willingboro and other towns use the library and were interested in having African programs and materials at the library.

FORMING THE LIBRARY AFRICAN ADVISORY BOARD

• Individuals and heads of organizations in the African community were invited to join the Library African Advisory Board.