Discussions
Discussions

Common Questions

Applying for an Unidos Series

The Host Site and the Librarian Co-Facilitator

The Scholar Co-Facilitator

Participating Families

Implementing an Unidos Series

Applying for an Unidos Series

Who can apply to host an Unidos series?

 

Any public library in New York State that has a bilingual librarian is eligible to apply. (Also see Can a bilingual staff member who is not a librarian facilitate the program? below.)

Who should apply to host an Unidos series?

Ideal candidates have a bilingual librarian and serve a large or growing Latino population in which the majority of the families speak some English and Spanish. Unidos is not a literacy or an ESL program, and is not intended for recent immigrants who speak only one language.

What costs does the Council cover?

The Council covers the direct costs for the program, including a stipend for the scholar co-facilitator and the cost of shipping Council-supplied books to the host site. The Council also provides the library with a $1000 stipend. These funds may be used to offset the cost of the librarian co-facilitator's time, and to provide childcare for younger siblings, activity materials, and snacks for participating families.

When will we receive the money to cover program costs?

Once your application has been accepted, the Council will send 50% of the stipend upon receipt of the agreement letter. The remaining 50% will be sent at the end of the program.

When are applications due?

The application deadline for the 2011-2012 academic year is April 1.

When will I find out if my application has been approved?

You will hear from the Council about the status of your request by May 1.

Can I host an Unidos series if I have already hosted a Together series?

Yes. Unidos is a separate program.

Can I host an Unidos series if I have never hosted a Together series?

Yes.  Any public library in New York State that has a bilingual librarian is eligible to apply.

Can I host both a Together series and an Unidos series in the same calendar year?

Yes. A library can host one Together series and one Unidos series in the same calendar year.

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The Host Site and the Librarian Co-Facilitator

What are the responsibilities of the host site and the host site coordinator?

Your library is responsible for:

  • Designating a host site coordinator.
  • Selecting a bilingual scholar co-facilitator.
  • Selecting a bilingual librarian (usually the children's librarian) to serve as co-facilitator.
  • Designating a space in the library for uninterrupted group discussion.
  • Participating in an online training session led by Council staff.
  • Providing childcare for the younger children of participating families.
  • Scheduling the six discussion sessions that are part of the series in consultation with the co-facilitators and notifying the Council of these dates.
  • Publicizing the event in your community to gather a group of at least eight participating families.
  • Crediting the Council in all materials related to the series.
  • Recruiting, registering, and retaining participating families.
  • Coordinating the loan of Council-supplied books for the series and returning all books to the Council within three weeks of the end of the series.
  • Organizing hospitality at each session (room set-up, welcome and check-in, snack, etc.).
  • Returning all participant registration forms, evaluations, and attendance sheets to the Council within three weeks of the end of the series.

What are the responsibilities of the librarian co-facilitator?

The librarian co-facilitator is responsible for:

  • Working with the scholar co-facilitator to select the six books to be discussed in the series.
  • Reading all six books.
  • Working with the scholar co-facilitator to develop appropriate and thought-provoking discussion questions about the book and the theme.
  • Attending a mandatory one-day training session before the start of their series. Training for fall 2011–spring 2012 host sites will be June 11, 2011.
  • Co-facilitating each of the six 90-minute discussion sessions in English and Spanish.(Along with the training session, the Council provides a detailed manual to guide co-facilitators in this process.)

Often the host site coordinator will also be the librarian co-facilitator.If this is the case, it is important to keep these two sets of responsibilities separate so that you can do both well, and that you have an assistant to help you at each session. Host site coordinators are not required to attend the training session unless they are also acting as librarian co-facilitator.

Does the librarian co-facilitator have to be a children's librarian?

No. Although the librarian co-facilitator is often the children's librarian, any librarian who is committed to the successful implementation of the Unidos program and who is fluent in English and Spanish may serve as co-facilitator. (See Can a librarian who is not bilingual facilitate the program? and Can a bilingual staff member who is not a librarian facilitate the program? below.)

Can a librarian who is not bilingual facilitate the program?

No. An integral part of Unidos is the fluid exchange of ideas in the participants’ preferred language. All facilitators must speak both English and Spanish.

Can a bilingual staff member who is not a librarian facilitate the program?

Yes. A bilingual staff member can facilitate the programs as long as he/she is fluent in both English and Spanish, and has a bachelor’s degree in any field.

May a parent with a child in the program serve as a co-facilitator?

Yes. Any qualified parent who speaks English and Spanish may serve as either the scholar co-facilitator or the librarian co-facilitator as long as another adult attends and participates with parent/co-facilitator's child.

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The Scholar Co-Facilitator

Do I have to have a scholar co-facilitator in place to apply to host an Unidos series?

Yes. In order to apply you must have identified a bilingual (Spanish/English) humanities scholar who is committed to co-facilitate all six 90-minute discussion sessions, and you must include that person's current resume with your application. Please make sure your proposed scholar co-facilitator has visited our website and is familiar with the Unidos program requirements before agreeing to facilitate your series.

Who qualifies as a scholar co-facilitator?

A humanities scholar is an individual with particular training or experience qualifying him or her as a professional in one or more of the academic disciplines of the humanities. The typical qualifications are an advanced degree (M.A. or Ph.D.) in a humanities field of study and a regular appointment at a recognized institution of higher learning. However, individuals without an advanced degree or who are not affiliated with a college or university may qualify as humanities scholars because of their methods of research, inquiry, and teaching. Students doing graduate work in a humanities discipline are also qualified. The Council recognizes that scholarship and knowledge gathering are defined differently in different cultures, and respects such diversity of training and preparation as consistent with our understanding of the humanities as fields and as methods of inquiry. The humanities scholars for an Unidos series do not have to have experience working with children. They simply have to have an interest in taking on the role of co-facilitator for a humanities-based family discussion group.

How should I go about finding a scholar co-facilitator?

Often the easiest way to find a bilingual scholar is by contacting the Spanish or Comparative Literature departments at local colleges and/or universities. Don't forget to inquire about interested graduate students if you are near a school with graduate programs, and ask about retired faculty who might still be in the area. Many organizations also have scholars as board members, advisors, or volunteers who may be interested in facilitating a series, or who can recommend others. You may want to ask potential participants if they know someone who would be qualified. Also look for Latino organizations in your area that may work with qualified scholars.If you need further suggestions, contact the Council to ask for recommendations for scholars in your area.

What are the responsibilities of the scholar co-facilitator?

The scholar co-facilitator is responsible for:

  • Working with the librarian co-facilitator to select the six books to be discussed in the series.
  • Reading all six books.
  • Working with the librarian co-facilitator to develop appropriate and thought-provoking discussion questions about the book and the theme.
  • Attending a mandatory one-day training session before the start of their series. Training for fall 2011–spring 2012 host sites will be June 11, 2011.
  • Co-facilitating each of the six 90-minute discussion sessions in English and Spanish. (Along with the training session, the Council provides a detailed manual to guide co-facilitators in this process.)

Can a scholar who is not bilingual facilitate the program?

No. An integral part of Unidos is the fluid exchange of ideas in the participants’ preferred language. All facilitators must speak both English and Spanish.

How much, and how, does the scholar co-facilitator get paid?

The scholar co-facilitator is paid $800. The Council contracts directly with the scholar co-facilitator once an application has been accepted, and pays them directly (50% prior to the start of the series and 50% after the last session).

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Participating Families

How large a group is required?

The number of participants may vary depending on how many parents and children from each family are eligible to attend, but a group of at least eight families is required. A maximum of 15 families may participate. The families should be asked to make every effort to take part in all six discussion sessions.

May children younger than 9 or older than 11 participate?

Every participating family must have a child between the ages of 9 and 11, since this is a critical period in the development of reading for pleasure and thus the target age for the Unidos program.  However, host sites may find that other family members who fall outside of the target age are eager to participate. If these additional children can participate in the discussion without being a distraction to the other participants or to the facilitators, then it is up to the discretion of the host site whether to let them participate.

Are parents the only adults allowed to come with their children?

No.The Unidos program welcomes both traditional and non-traditional families. Any care-giving adult or family member who has regular contact with the child may participate; however, consistent and enthusiastic participation is essential. Examples of adult participants could include:

  • Grandparents, uncles and aunts, adult siblings, or other extended family members.
  • Foster parents or the spouse/partner of the child's parent.

Can more than one adult from a family participate in the program?

Yes. The Council encourages any care-giving adult or family member who has regular contact with the child may participate as long as they plan to attend most sessions.

May a child participate without an adult present?

No.  Open discussion between children and adults is the cornerstone of the Together and Unidos programs. 

Do all participating families have to be bilingual?

Yes. Because neither Spanish nor English is valued over the other in an Unidos discussion, it is imperative that all participants have some knowledge of both languages even though books are provided in both English and Spanish. Please note that participants do not need to be fluent in both languages, they just need to be able to understand questions and conversation in their second language.

Do I need to provide childcare for younger siblings?

Yes. The Council provides funding for childcare for the young children of participating families.  It is the library's responsibility to find a suitable childcare provider.

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Implementing an Unidos Series

What are the goals of the Together and the Unidos program?

The goals of the Together program are:

  • To provide a forum for focused intergenerational discussion of humanities themes related to American identity.
  • To encourage families to use books as a way to discuss "big ideas" and issues that relate to their lives and our nation's history - both in the library-based discussion groups and at home.
  • To introduce and reinforce the pleasures of engaged reading and discussion of texts.
  • To encourage and support the use of community libraries as sites for intergenerational book discussion.

In addition to fulfilling the general goals of the Together program, the specific goals for Unidos include:

  • To foster dual-language intergenerational book discussions making use of the linguistic expertise of parents and their children in a multilingual context.
  • To encourage linguistically diverse families to use books as a way to discuss big ideas and issues that relate to their lives as members of a diverse and democratic society.
  • To use a dual language approach to encourage parents and children to take the role of literacy experts during book discussions, while expanding their knowledge of literacy in both English and Spanish.

What is the format of each session?

The six 90-minute sessions are divided into two thematic units: Courage and Freedom. Each unit groups three books together: either three picture books or two picture books and one chapter book. These books address themes that promote dialogue about the democratic process and American identity.

Each session will focus on one book and its major themes and ideas. In all but the first session, the participants will have completed reading the book before the discussion. Co-facilitators should plan questions and activities that promote open and fluid dialogue among both parents and children.

How long does each Unidos session last?

Each of the six Unidos sessions should last roughly 90 minutes.The host site should also set aside an additional 15-30 minutes for snack time and getting settled.

When should we schedule the series?

The six sessions in an Unidos series should be scheduled at times that allow for the greatest number of people to take part (usually evenings or weekends). Generally the Council suggests scheduling the six sessions biweekly on a consistent day of the week. Libraries must schedule their six sessions between October and July.

Do the co-facilitators have to attend the training session?

Yes. Co-facilitators are required to attend a one-day training session. Training for fall 2011–spring 2012 host sites will be June 11, 2011.

Does the host site coordinator have to attend the training session?

No. Instead, host site coordinators are required to participate in an online training session led by Council staff before implementing an Unidos series.

May we charge an entrance fee for an Unidos series?

No. All Unidos series must be free and open to all eligible families.

Which books may co-facilitators choose for the discussion?

Co-facilitators must choose either three picture books, or two picture books and one novel from the books listed under each theme. The complete book list is available here.

How do we get the books and other materials for the series?

The Council will send you 30 copies of each book (15 in English, 15 in Spanish) that the co-facilitators have chosen for the series at least two weeks prior to the first session. We will also provide a toolkit for each participant including copies of the required evaluations in both languages, a pencil, index cards and other note-taking tools, and a bookmark. Registration forms, a program fact sheet, and flyers advertising the program are available from the Council in Coordinator Administration.

May we make substitutions of books in a series?

No. The co-facilitators must select from the Council's list of picture books and novels which illustrate important themes in American life. The co-facilitators decide together which books from the list they would like to discuss in their Unidos series.

May we change the order in which the books are presented in a series?

The co-facilitators may pair any three picture books, or any two picture books and novel together as long as there are three books for each theme. Books from different themes may not be grouped together.

Does every family have to receive books in both English and Spanish?

Yes. Every family should receive books in both languages. Many parents feel uncomfortable with their lack of reading skills in English, and may request books in English if asked. To make all families feel welcome regardless of their English proficiency, it is important to allow parents to choose the language in which they prefer to read at home rather than in the public atmosphere of the book group.

What are our obligations after the series has ended?

Your organization is required to distribute, collect, and return all participant evaluations. These should be returned to the Council within three weeks of the end of the series along with all facilitator notes for each session and a final report summarizing the successes and challenges of the program at your site. The librarian co-facilitator and the host site coordinator must each complete an online evaluation at the end of the series. You are also responsible for sending a copy of your participant registration forms and your final attendance for each session, and for returning all Council-supplied books within the same timeframe.

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