The library club has been around since 2009 and one of the things that they started almost immediately was helping out ESL students with reading.

They constructed an ESL reading discussion, which occurs every Wednesday in room LC51 from 11 a.m. to noon.

These discussions comprise of ESL students gathering around and reading a book together and once they are done, they discuss the book, its plot, characters etc.

According to Pamela Rodriguez Cervantes, ESL Coordinator, these book discussions were created to help ESL students understand English better, whether it is reading it or comprehending the language.

Paula Pereira, library club advisor, said, “This is a friendly atmosphere for them [ESL students] to make new friends, for them to improve their speaking skills (and) their reading skills.”

Pereira continues to say that library club members volunteer to help ESL students every week during the reading discussions.

As for what book gets chosen for the discussion, it falls in the hands of Cervantes, according to Pereira.

“She [Cervantes] already read the Frankenstein book with the students, so she noticed that they really liked it and because Halloween is coming up she decided that they would be interested in a story like that,” Pereira said.

Pereira also added that there is a collection of books in the library that is compiled with books for ESL students.

According to Cervantes, the turnout for these readings has been good.

“It’s been good. When I started, there was a lot of ESL students coming, but recently sometimes they come (and) sometimes they go. I guess it’s because of their schedule of classes, but we still have some students coming,” Cervantes said.

Cervantes added that she feels good about this program when it comes to helping ESL students.

“I feel good helping them out because I was an ESL student so I know how it feels,” Cervantes said.