Books to Action

Southern California is home to the largest Farsi-speaking community in the diaspora. In his three years and counting at the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL), M. Ramin Naderi, acting senior librarian at the Venice–Abbot Kinney Memorial Branch, has become a driving force behind much of LAPL’s service to that population of approximately 700,000 people.

Naderi consults on materials in LAPL’s Persian collections, available in 11 branches. He runs a Persian Reading Club and a Farsi radio program. To combat anti-immigrant narratives, in 2018 he led a Book to Action series focused on immigrant cuisine and culture, including a cooking program led by Iranian-born Los Angelan, actor, and author Naz Deravian. Partnering with six community organizations, he raised $11,000 in in-kind services and donations and served over 200 community members. In 2019, Naderi created the Persian Poetry Forum of Los Angeles to promote mental health using poetry, offer a platform to Persian poets in the diaspora, and collect the stories of immigrant poets.

LAPL Western Area Manager Erika Thibault says, “Naderi’s dedication and commitment to public service, and the Persian community in particular, is inspirational.”

When he moved to his new branch, Naderi organized all staff into teams to be more inclusive of paraprofessionals. As a result, his employees learned to work more collaboratively, and Naderi was invited to present on his approach at regional and systemwide manager meetings. After his move, he continued to collaborate with colleagues at West Los Angeles Regional Library and helped develop a Book to Action program on misinformation.

During the pandemic, Naderi worked with the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office to translate public information about the city’s COVID-19 response into Farsi. He also volunteered for disaster service work at hotel/motel sites for people experiencing homelessness.

Says Naderi, “I am a librarian who works for the people, with the people, by the people to provide free and easy access to information, ideas, books, and technology that enrich, educate and empower every individual in our city’s diverse communities.”