Workshop 

Lost in Translation: How to Understand the Library

This workshop explores how technology can help libraries provide multilingual customer service and overcome language barriers. We begin by discussing multilingualism in everyday library work and reflecting on the communication challenges that arise between staff and customers. The session introduces a pilot project in which we tested translation devices, mobile applications and a remotely operated robot through which multilingual librarians could offer guidance in different languages. We share both our successes and failures to give a realistic picture of how these tools function in real library settings.

Participants will have the opportunity to try these tools themselves and share their own experiences. Through practical exercises, they can reflect on the possibilities and limitations of different solutions and consider how similar technologies might support their own work. Whether you're curious about multilingual service tools or already experimenting with them, this workshop offers practical inspiration and peer exchange to support your work. 

Host 

Helena Perttilä is a librarian at Vantaa City Library in Finland, working to make technology feel less intimidating. She specializes in promoting programming literacy. She leads hands-on robot workshops for children and families and coordinates the library’s Maker spaces.

Saara Zamiatin is a librarian at Vantaa City Library in Finland focused on multilingual library services and supporting encounters with Vantaa’s diverse customer base. Her work promotes accessibility, equality, and inclusion. With over a decade of experience in integration and as a language teacher for adult immigrants, she also supports the library’s language learning programs.