BROWARD COUNTY, FL - Broward County Library customers can now get assistance in a variety of languages via Amazon Echo devices at library public service desks. Broward County Library has an ongoing initiative, Project Welcome, to ensure that library services are accessible to newcomers and English Language Learners.
The Amazon Echo devices provide a voice service via Alexa that lets library staff translate words and phrases from English into different languages so they can communicate more easily with customers. Alexa supports a variety of languages, and library staff will have additional resources to facilitate communications including dedicated tablets that provide translation for languages not served by Alexa. The Amazon Echo devices are managed through Alexa for Business, which means library staff and administrators can’t access voice recordings or utterances made to an individual device.
"This new tool improves our ability to bridge language barriers with our customers, in our ongoing commitment to providing accessible, high quality experiences for the Broward County community," says Broward County Libraries Director Kelvin Watson.
Broward County Library is the first library in the country to introduce Echo devices at every public service point using the Alexa for Business solution. Broward County Library has also conducted trials with the Echo devices in select English Café classes for over a year.
Through Project Welcome, Broward County Library develops programs and service enhancements that inform newcomers to Broward that the library plays an essential role in the community and that the library is a safe, welcoming, free place to access resources and services that can make adjusting to their new home easier. Project Welcome was funded through a grant from the Florida Department of State Library Services and Technology Act from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
About Broward County Libraries Division
Broward County Libraries Division, named 2015 Library of the Year by the Florida Library Association, was founded in 1974 and is the largest library system in Florida by square footage and one of the busiest, with more than 7.5 million walk-in customers visiting its 38 locations annually. Broward County Libraries Division provides convenient access to a full range of innovative and cost-effective services that satisfy the changing needs of the people of Broward County for information, education and recreation. Visit our website, Broward.org/Library, or follow Libraries onFacebook and Twitter.
DATE: October 11, 2019
MEDIA CONTACT: Catherine McElrath
Libraries Division
EMAIL: cmcelrath@Broward.org
PHONE:954-357-7402