On September 29th, 2012, the Ethnic Services Round Table of the New York Library Association, the Endangered Language Alliance, and the New York Public Library (NYPL) joined forces to raise awareness about minority languages in danger. Attendees learned why small languages matter and what efforts are being made to preserve them.

Check out the Endangered Languages Fair event line-up on the NYPL website. There is also a write-up on the Endangered Language Alliance website.

K. David Harrison, Research Director for Living Tongues Institute and author of “The Last Speakers: The Quest to save the World’s Most Endangered Languages”, gave a special multi-media presentation entitled “Endangered Languages: Local & Global Perspectives”. Many other speakers and activists were also featured at the event. Here are some photos of the fair, courtesy of Living Tongues volunteer Natalie Feingold.

Introduction to K. David Harrison’s presentation at the New York Public Library

K. David Harrison addressing the crowd about language extinction

K. David Harrison and Living Tongues volunteer Natalie Feingold

For more background on the event, check out “Why Save Languages? A Few Words About Language Extinction and Revitalization” written by Brigid Cahalan, Library Sites & Services/Outreach for New York Publich Library.