At AIS Vienna, the diverse linguistic backgrounds of students are embraced through multilingual library sections that highlight the 48 languages spoken within the community. With support from the Annual Fund, students will be able to check out books in both their home languages and English—building language skills while strengthening their cultural connections.  This initiative is a collaboration between the librarians and EAL teachers.

Rather than focusing on where students come from, the focus is on the languages that shape AISV’s classrooms. Even if only one student speaks a particular language, the goal is to make that language visible and celebrated. This approach helps students feel acknowledged, fostering a strong sense of belonging and pride.

In Elementary, the priority has been acquiring books in various languages that are already available in English, allowing students to explore stories in multiple languages. Families are also engaged in this initiative and are eager to bring back books from their travels.

The Secondary Library has held books in multiple languages since it opened its doors in 1961. The multilingual collection’s current rendition began as a student-led CAS project in 2019, when then-junior Ivan Boradavkin (‘21) curated and donated books in Russian, his home language. Since then, we’ve continued to expand the existing collection; our current objective is to ensure that every language spoken by our MS and HS students is represented. Our middle school Student Library Advisory (SLA) group is working in collaboration with our library and EAL teams to promote and celebrate our multilingual library.

This multilingual library project is more than just a collection of books—it celebrates the community’s rich diversity and a powerful statement about inclusion. By showcasing the languages spoken at AISV, an inclusive, globally-minded culture is fostered, where every language is valued, every student feels represented, and all stories have a place on the shelves.