Finding My Voice: Bridging Multicultural Gaps as a Bilingual Librarian

Finding My Voice: Bridging Multicultural Gaps as a Bilingual Librarian

Presentation at the 2025 CALA Northeast Chapter Annual Conference

Liu, Hui

2025-04-11

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Bridging Multicultural Gaps as a Bilingual Librarian

In this lightning talk, I will share my journey from a general library assistant to a reference librarian-bilingual community liaison, navigating career transitions while serving a diverse community with 30% Asian residents. While working as a bilingual library assistant, I earned my Master’s in Library Science remotely from UIUC, which led to a promotion to the reference department. Now, having graduated last December, I’m transitioning into a more specialized role of Bilingual Community Liaison. As the only professional librarian representing the Chinese population in my public library, I’ll discuss how my bilingual roles were created to address the community’s needs and how I’ve worked to strengthen multicultural communication through outreach and programs. I’ll also reflect on overcoming imposter syndrome as a minority librarian, finding confidence in my voice, and advocating for more inclusive services. Attendees will gain practical strategies for breaking down cultural barriers, creating inclusive services, and embracing the power of representation in library work.

Liu, Hui