As an organization whose purpose is built on promoting library and information services to Latinos and Spanish-speaking patrons, it is our honor to recognize the efforts of library workers in the Los Angeles area doing just that. We hope to inspire others with new ways of engaging patrons by highlighting these successful program ideas.
This month, we spotlight Ana Villalpando and Luisa Leija’s program at Long Beach Public Library on… Lotería!
Program Type: Bilingual group game
Ideal Age Group: ALL ages!
Event Date & Time: Weekend afternoons
Supplies:
Lotería game pack, or
Custom Lotería playing cards
Optional: Prizes or library swag
Adaptations:
Eloteria (make sure to have elote supplies, too!)
National events: Pride, Latinx Heritage Month
Library services: literacy, community resources
Lotería is a beloved game (most similar to Bingo) that is easily played and understood by patrons of all ages and cultures! Custom Lotería playing cards can be made using free programs like Canva and adapted for national events or your library’s own services. Thanks to the efforts of Long Beach Public Library’s Cynthia Bautista and Sheridan Jay Cazarez, Lotería has been a long-running program for Long Beach’s Latinx and Spanish-speaking community. Today, LBPL Vida Latina Committee Chairs Ana Villalpando and Luisa Leija lead 2-3 programs per year and find it to be a successful intergenerational event every time!
Photo courtesy of Ana Villalpando
Aside from a fun afternoon, Lotería is another way for patrons to engage with the library while feeling represented and welcomed. One of the key elements to a successful program is, as Ana puts it, “promoting it with your patrons, even without a set date.” If this is your first event, you may need to build rapport and communicate the idea directly with patrons to ensure attendance.
The beauty of Lotería is that it’s a game for all ages and languages! Invite patrons of all cultures to the program for an opportunity to improve their English-Spanish translations. Ana’s advice for anyone who is hesitant: don’t be afraid to play with it!
Thank you, Ana and Luisa, for your incredible inspiration! For questions and comments about this program, please contact Ana at Ana.Villalpando@LBPL.org.
Photo courtesy of Ana Villalpando
If you would like to nominate a library’s recent program or service for this blog series, please reach out to Erin Castillo at Erin.Castillo@SJSU.edu.