Latino Outreach Gets Boost at CSUN
The Cal State Northridge library has received a $1.6-million grant to increase its outreach to the Latino community, university officials announced Thursday.
The grant, awarded by the state Department of Education, is part of a research project intended to demonstrate that students perform better when they spend more time at the library and develop research skills.
Sue Curzon, library dean, said the money will be used to expand collection materials on Latino history, social sciences and culture. She said it also will be used to locate and improve the accessibility of archival materials involving Latinos in Los Angeles, and to educate students on using the library.
The grant will be dispersed over five years, Curzon said. The library’s annual budget is $7.2 million, she said.
“This grant is about connecting students to libraries,” Curzon said. “Knowing how to use a library and information resources is one of the foundations of student success.”
The grant was awarded through the education department’s Hispanic Serving Institutions program. The program is geared toward universities with enrollments that are more than 25% Latino.
Curzon said 30% of the university’s 31,448 students are Latino.
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