Delaware Public Archives Introduces Spanish Speakers to Vast Collection through YouTube - Delaware Public Archives

Date Posted: Tuesday, June 12th, 2012

The Delaware Public Archives (DPA) is reaching out to native Spanish speakers to let them know what resources and services DPA provides. To that end, DPA has produced a new Spanish-language video, as part of its Inside the Delaware Public Archives series. It can be viewed on DPA’s YouTube channel at http://de.gov/2wo. Between 1990 and 2008, the number of people speaking Spanish at home in Delaware more than tripled (from 15,302 to 47,614). “This is a creative way to reach the growing number of people speaking Spanish at home in Delaware who want to learn more about our state’s history, as well as the useful documents which can be found at the Public Archives,” said Governor Jack Markell. The video, as with the other 13 videos in the Archives series, is less than three minutes long and is intended to be a basic introduction to resources and services which can be further explored by visiting or contacting DPA. The Archives’ next Spanish language video will focus on Delaware’s role as the First State.

“I felt that our very successful YouTube series would be the best vehicle to provide this useful information to Delawareans who might prefer to access it in Spanish,” said Director Stephen Marz. Without a fluent Spanish speaker on staff, the Delaware Public Archives recruited Patty VanSant – a native of Chile who has lived in Dover for the last six years – to present the information in the video. In her presentation, Mrs. VanSant focuses on three types of records: vital statistics, education records, and migrant records. Vital statistical records may be needed for passports, pensions, Medicaid and other government benefits, as well as personal IDs. Education and migrant records may provide critical student information such as transcripts, immunization documents, SAT scores, and Certificates of Eligibility (COEs) which determine eligibility for migrant resources. The Archives video series was a finalist for the National Association of Secretaries of State’s 2012 IDEAS (Innovation, Dedication, Excellence & Achievement in Service) Award. All of the videos were produced in-house from script writing to filming to posting.