The Miami-Dade Public Library System offers databases to learn Spanish and other languages. However, it was noted that for various reasons, patrons were requesting to learn Spanish in a traditional setting at the Library. The Library saw the challenge as an opportunity to reach out to the academic community for assistance. MDPLS approached FIU with the language instruction idea and FIU demonstrated their support immediately. A partnership with the Department of Modern Languages was quickly established.

Partnering with FIU presented a win-win opportunity. FIU’s students gained pedagogical experience while the Library’s patrons learned Spanish. FIU interviewed top undergraduate students for the teaching role and awarded a three-credit-earning internship to the participants. The beginner’s Spanish classes were offered at two branches, meeting once a week in the evenings for eight weeks. The innovation offered internal and external opportunities. Internally, the Library gained a strategic alliance to support its mission. Externally, MDPLS collaborated with one of the best universities in South Florida to fill the programming gap and addressed the needs and expectations of the community.

The language partnership with FIU began in 2015 as a result of customer demand for free, in-person classes at the Library. The beginner’s Spanish classes were an instant success, with both locations hosting the classes filled to capacity instantly. The participants expressed great satisfaction and interest in continuing their language education at the Library. As a result, other universities have taken notice. In the Fall of 2016, the Library will collaborate with Barry University’s undergraduate interns to teach Spanish at the Miami Beach Branch. Additionally, MDPLS will continue to collaborate with FIU in an effort to expand its language offerings.