Local program teaches Internet skills in Spanish

As the Latino population in Bloomington continues to rise, city officials strive to meet its growing needs. The latest effort, introduced by Mayor Mark Kruzan, offers Internet classes to Spanish-speaking residents.\nThe Latino Outreach Division, a faction of Bloomington's Community and Family Resources Department, is teaming up with the Monroe County Public Library to teach basic computer classes to local Latinos in Spanish.\nLatino Outreach Coordinator Teresa Velez said the department took this initiative after some Latino residents expressed an interest in learning how to use the Internet.\n"The community members have made me aware of what they need and would like," Velez said. "Mostly, they would like to know how to create an e-mail account, so they can communicate with family members."\nThe first two classes met at the library Feb. 15 and 22. The students learned computer basics, such as how to use the keyboard and how to open up Web pages. In the final March 8 class, students will learn how to set up e-mail accounts.\nVelez said many of the students who are Mexican immigrants want to learn Internet skills so that they can communicate with people back home in their native country. \nTo relieve students of the costliness of computer equipment, the library has lent a classroom and nine laptops for the workshop. Latino Outreach Division part-time employee, Maria Teresa Restrepo, who is fluent in Spanish, has been teaching the classes. \nAfter advertising in the Boletín Comunitario, a local monthly Spanish bulletin, and on Hola Bloomington, a WFHB Spanish radio show, the first class attracted seven students, all of whom returned for the second class, Velez said.\nIn addition to the program, Velez and Restrepo have brought other new services to the library. Starting Feb. 20, they offered their assistance to the Latino community with scheduling doctor's appointments, translating documents, calling to connect and disconnect utilities, completing Hoosier Healthwise applications and initiating the childcare application process. Latino Outreach will provide these optional services every two weeks, from 10 a.m. to noon.\n"We are basically offering the same services as those in the city hall," Velez said. "There is a huge population of Latinos who use services at the library, and if they see us and get to know us, they will eventually come to city hall"