CURRENT POSITION Outreach Services Manager, Northfield Public Library, MN DEGREE Hotel Administration and Tourism Management, Universidad Autónoma del Caribe, Barranquilla, Colombia, 2023 FAST FACT Linder is a member of the folk dance group Colombia Live, and her teenage son recently joined her. FOLLOW mynpl.org/home; bit.ly/NPLheritage; northfieldmn.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2305 Photo courtesy of Northfield Public Library

Speaking the Language

When Angelica Linder sees a need in the community, “her first thought is always, ‘How can the library help?’” says nominator Sinda Nichols, director of the Center for Community and Civic Engagement for Carleton College. As the first bilingual Latine/Hispanic Northfield Public Library (NPL) employee, Linder saw an opportunity to help with the local implementation of a new Municipal ID—an alternate form of legal identification that helps people with banking, work, and finding a place to live. She worked with city offices to provide a safe space in the library for those applying for the ID, as well as needed translation services. 

Linder has championed the addition of more bilingual staff at NPL and partnered with local groups to develop and promote programs such as Growing Up Healthy, which focuses on Latine families. She also realized the value of celebrating the community, and in 2018 proposed a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. The first year was such a success that it’s now a cherished annual event. 

She also helped create a program providing bilingual tutoring for students on weekends and a project with Carleton College where students help library patrons with computer classes and language conversation tables. She found that the students benefited as much as the patrons did. “They might have gone through the things that some of the people are going through, so they feel more compelled to help,” she says. “They want to give something to the community.”