Language Computer in the Library

I was asked if the Library would purchase a Rosetta Stone Spanish Level 1 & 2 for $323.10 at Amazon and make it available on a standalone computer in the library.

First thought... What a great idea? (budget troubles aside)...

Second thought... How would we market this resource well and not make it another expensive reference like item that is rarely used... discovery, space, context and convenience matters. Knowing that this is a tool you want to listen to means headphones, but repeating the sounds means an interesting conversation in the study carrel next door, or a music practice room - which doesn't lend to discovery very well.

So, I ponder on...
How have others managed this resources...

I turn to searching online - the Internet first...
I was quick to find that Rosetta recently discontinued it's online offering: http://www.fcpl.org/information/general/rosetta.htm However, there are still some libraries that are able to offer the online service: http://www.lib.az.us/extension/rosettastone.cfm

Distracted - because I am working late tonight, I wonder into asking and searching, what are some other language learning environments like?

A brief search nets...

• Wikiversity is text based: http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Spanish
• MP3 based: http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/ucce50/ag-labor/spanish/
• Wow, mouse over triggered audio: http://www.languageguide.org/espanol/grammar/
• And the BBC, one of my favorite library websites, I mean news website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/lj/ (found this searching delicious tags of spanish)
• Free/Commercial: http://www.studyspanish.com/pronunciation/vowel_a.htm
• Had to also check out YouTube to find a variety: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=learn+spanish&search_type=&aq=f

So having performed all these searches to select several resources of interest, I finally turn to the catalog... 13 hits from doing a search learn spanish using the catalog and find the most relevant title is the last on the list, can you guess my treasure...
2 discs. 33 1/3 rpm. mono. 12 in. - a 1958 phonodisc. Worldcat.org offers an improved list, with a 1990-1992 cassette on the top of the list.

Clearly, discovery may be an issue... So I conclude my late night work thinking...

How important is learning a language to our users, and as a result, to offering a library service?

Public libraries tend to make language learning resources a highly visible resource, but what are academic libraries doing?

What partnerships make sense with our Foreign Language departments & their labs, and other academic departments interested in Spanish?

Questions to discuss with my fantastic colleagues at Geneseo - but to anyone out there... what works well, what ideas do you have? Thanks.