Passion for Diversity: Padma Polepeddi, Glendale Library

When Padma Polepeddi discovered that her nearby public library was free, she cried for joy. Having emigrated from India, where libraries charge for service, she loves telling other immigrants about the “amazing world of public libraries.”

Now supervisor of the Glendale Library, Polepeddi builds collections and programming for a diverse community and buttonholes new immigrants to tell them, “All this is free!” Though her branch is known for its extensive Russian and Spanish-language collections, Polepeddi has expanded its diversity program, improving services to other nationalities, teens, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

Bonnie McCune, library community programs consultant for the Colorado Association of Libraries (CAL), recruited Polepeddi to take her passion for diversity to other libraries in the state. As cochair of CAL's Special Populations Committee, Polepeddi helps Colorado librarians share their best practices on a web site (www.cde.state.co.us/scripts/cdelibSpecPops/practicemenu.asp), improving services to diverse populations across the board.