Case Study: Queens Public Library expands access to 240 languages with LanguageLine

Queens Public Library adds interpretation in 240 languages with LanguageLine

Queens Public Library (QPL) faced the challenge of serving its highly diverse community, where over 28% of residents have limited English proficiency, creating a significant barrier to accessing its services. To fulfill its commitment to inclusivity, QPL partnered with vendor LanguageLine to implement its live over-the-phone interpreting service.

LanguageLine provided a solution where every library branch was equipped with a dual-handset phone, enabling three-way communication between a customer, a staff member, and a live interpreter in over 240 languages. The results were immediate, with librarians across numerous branches successfully assisting patrons in languages including Spanish, Mandarin, and Arabic, finally fulfilling the library's "We Speak Your Language" promise and removing a major obstacle for non-English speakers.

Queens Public Library