The "Multicultural Outreach Librarian" position and the committee it chairs is essential to creating libraries that are community spaces reflective of the peoples of the surrounding area. 11 heritage months annually highlight activities that attracted over 2,650 individuals between May 2016 and 2017. As the linguistic diversity of the community changes, such as a growing Middle Eastern refugee community, so does the challenge to remain accessible.

The Palm Beach County Library System responded to three opportunities in 2016-2017: 1) The “Haitian Cultural Collection” was created to highlight materials in Haitian Creole, by Haitians, about Haitian culture and Haiti and its peoples; 2) In an effort to tailor translations to the communities served, multilingual staff refined internal processes for making materials available quicker and in multiple languages; and 3) "Bridging Cultures/Faiths" series were created to spark interest in learning about other cultures and religions.

Initiatives undertaken such as an ongoing #1000blackgirlbooks display increased media coverage of Black History Month activities and highlight the important roles that African-American girls and women play in literature. Increased efforts to work with refugee and immigrant service providers lead to partnerships with the school district, USCIS, and a Syrian refugee women’s shelter. We hope that these endeavors will allow new visitors to see themselves in everything we do and provide.