Mango Languages

Librarians: Learn Spanish with Mango for Free

“Hola. ¿Cómo le puedo ayudar?”  Or in other words: “Hello.  How can I help you?”

Here at Mango, we’ve met thousands of librarians over the years and have consistently found them to be some of the kindest, most helpful folks you can imagine.   But we know that even the most helpful librarian would struggle when language barriers become an issue.  Which got us thinking: why don’t we develop a Spanish language course designed specifically for librarians?

Enter: Libby the Librarian.

She’s resourceful, she’s intelligent, and she’s pretty darn cute – if we do say so ourselves!  She’s also ready to help other librarians learn useful phrases and vocabulary to assist their Spanish-speaking patrons, like how to get a library card or navigating the reference desk.

The best part?  Libby’s course is FREE.  This is just our little way of saying thank you to the awesome librarian community that we love so much.

Ready to get start learning with Libby?  Click here.

iPhone is “iPhone” in any language. Using Mango mobile apps for ESL learning.

Librarian Andrea Mullarkey shared this story with us:

“They came to the desk together, one speaking heavily accented English and the other just hanging out. The first young man said he wanted ESL resources so we went to our ESL collection and I showed him books, kits, dvds etc. He was pleased and grabbed a bunch to check out.

Then we went back to the desk so I could show him Mango Languages and he was blown away. He put all of the physical items back on the reshelving truck and started chattering briskly with his friend in another language about Mango.

When I mentioned the iPhone app, both their eyes lit up (the friend spoke almost no English but apparently iPhone is iPhone in any language) and pulled out their phones.

One downloaded the app right there at the desk. The other went straight over to a computer and filled out a library card application on the spot.

I haven’t seen them since, and I presume it’s because they are happily learning English on their own thanks to the intuitive interface and design of Mango. It made me so happy to have something to offer them that would so perfectly meet their needs.”

Sharing Mango Languages with Your Patrons and Community

If your library offers Mango Languages, we are sure that you already love the online language learning program (how could you not!?). But the real challenge is making sure your patrons love the program just as much. Well, challenge no more. Thanks to the Mango Administration Portal (MAP), you have a plethora of tools right at your fingertips to promote this database at your library.

In the MAP, you will find free resources (logos for your website, sample blog posts, press releases, customizable posters), promotional items (t-shirts, bookmarks, water bottles), and even tasks you can perform to earn more materials (host a Mango day, write about Mango in your library’s newsletter, create Mango promotional materials). Mango works with your library as a partner, so all materials in the MAP were created specifically with librarians in mind. Like you, we want to make sure that your community is aware of all of the awesome offerings provided by your library.

Mango wants to help you make your library a hub for language learning and culture. With both ESL courses (English as a second language) and foreign language courses, we provide you with relevant material that continues to make your library a valuable resource for your entire community.

Still not sure how to best market language learning at your library? Be sure to contact your Mango Rep or visit our Facebook and Twitter pages to chat with other librarians who have tips and tricks to share!

What is a creative way you have marketed Mango at your library?

Mango Implements Unlimited Paid Time Off. Seriously.

At Mango Languages, we pride ourselves on bringing language learning innovations to enthusiastic learners across the world. But our innovation starts much closer to home: in our work environment.

Mango’s headquarters in Farmington Hills, Michigan resembles an office plucked out of Silicon Valley with its open work areas, neon colored walls, and young, casual atmosphere.

Adding to the list of reasons why it’s awesome to work here, Mango recently implemented an innovative paid time off policy: unlimited. No more counting vacation days at the end of the year or questioning whether you have enough days left to take that awesome trip. Mango employees now follow the simple policy: get stuff done while you’re here and take time off when you need to.

We’re results focused. We believe that it’s not the amount of time you spend in the office that matters, it’s the goals you’re able to reach. Providing an unlimited paid time-off policy affords team members the flexibility to stay motivated, spend time with friends and family abroad and see the world. Thanks to this new policy, Yana, Marketing Project Manager, will reunite with her mom and sister in her birthplace of Kiev, Ukraine- somewhere she hasn’t visited since she was two years old. That’s just one example of how this policy is changing the work and personal lives of Mango employees.

So let’s recap, shall we?

1. Unlimited paid time off.
2. Fiestas every Friday (alcoholic refreshments included).
3. Casual day, everyday.
4.  We make beloved language learning solutions that enrich lives.
5. We’re hiring.

What is your workplace like? What would you do with unlimited paid time off?

Mango to Welcome Challenge Detroit Talent

While the Mango team hails from all over the globe, we are proud to call Detroit, Michigan home.

Mango is excited to be involved in Challenge Detroit, an effort aimed at attracting and retaining young, innovative talent in our home town! Out of over 900 applicants, 30 young professionals will be chosen to live, work, socialize and give back in the city of Detroit.

We are excited to welcome a lucky candidate to the Mango team in September!

Check out this innovative program that is bringing young, eager, energetic and innovative talent to Detroit:

You can see the candidates and learn more about this program at ChallengeDetroit.org.

Mango Monday: Mango wherever you go!

We asked users of our library iPhone app where they Mango! Here are some of our favorite answers from our awesome Facebook fans and Twitter followers:

Christie Valdecantos: “Waiting in line for a ride at Six Flags!”

@jjswim: “Your iPhone app makes waiting for the bus and train and even the Laundromat bearable! I’m having a blast with Korean!”

Janice Monroe: “Was at a hospital in the pre-op area…people probably wondered why I kept repeating myself-prob thought I should be in another area of the hospital! Lol”

Serena Shiel: “I used it to study Korean in my Latin class after I finished the work. Oops.”

@ray1759: “So far I have only used the iPhone app siting in my Lazy-boy in front of the fireplace on a cold Canadian night. ”

Thanks everyone for the awesome responses! The Mango Languages iPhone app is available to library patrons and can be found in the App Store. Check it out and let us know where you Mango!

The Gift of Giving

We, here at Mango Languages, have six key core values that we live by: integrity, entrepreneurial spirit, positive attitude, fundipline, innovation and quality. Our Marketing Communications Director and Co-Founder, Mike Teshuba, has added another one to the list, giving back.

Funof is an organization in Cali, Colombia, that is dedicated to getting working children off the street and back into school so that they can study and enjoy being kids.  These children, ranging in age from 7-15 years old, oftentimes work selling gum or fruit, washing windshield and peddling other various products and services on the streets.  They feel the need to work on the streets because either their families don’t have enough money to buy food and other basic necessities, or they don’t even have families to take care of them in the first place.  These children face many dangers on a daily basis, such as rape, getting hit in traffic, being exploited by drug dealers, child trafficking, etc.  If these children don’t get an education then they are highly likely to become the parents of children that will continue this vicious cycle.  This foundation has several centers in low income neighborhoods in Cali Colombia helping around 2,300 working children.

This holiday season, with the donation from Mango Languages, Mike, his family, and some awesome Mango fans were able to buy gifts for over 200 of these children. They were able to personally visit one of the centers to hand out gifts and food to about 150 of the kids.  The event went really well and the children were very appreciative of being able to have a gift for the holidays.

Check out this awesome video where Mike Teshuba describes what Funof is all about and see how Mango spread some holiday cheer to kids in Cali, Colombia.

Feature Friday: Meet New Mango: Meagan Snavely

Mango is growing and fast! Thanks to all of you!

We are so excited to welcome Meagan Snavely to the Mango Team. Meagan heard about Mango through a friend in the Deaf community here in Michigan and then saw Mango a job fair. She went to Michigan State University and majored in psychology with a minor in educational studies. She absolutely loves learning, so much so that directly after graduating, she went to Lansing Community College to study American Sign Language through its Interpreter Training Program where she was introduced to Deaf culture and fell in love with this culture!

Meagan will be answering phones, helping customers with questions, and saving the world one Mango customer activation at a time. Her title here is “People Pleaser.” We love that about her!

Other things you MUST know about Meagan are: she is still completely fascinated by American Sign Language. Which is great because Mango is developing an ASL program. Woo hoo! She loves to take risks and chopped all of her hair off to donate it to kids with Alopecia. In doing so, she has found a new love for scarves! Some of her other loves include: word games, things that make you think, and laughing. She is very excited to be a part of the Mango Team and we are so glad to have her here!

Please help us welcome Meagan to the Mango Grove!

Feature Friday: Meet New Mango, Nevrus Muftari

Mango is growing like crazy and we have several new team members to welcome to the Grove. Nevrus Muftari started in October as the Challenger of the Status Quo. He works with librarians and ensures they are happy with the Mango program and helps them with any training or questions they may have.

Nev (we call him that) has an interesting and diverse background. His dad was born in Macedonia and his mom was born in Germany but her family fled Albania in the forties when communism was prevalent. Approximately 35 years ago his parents met and married, then moved to Michigan. Nev speaks Albanian and English. He loves to travel. He has been to Australia, Mexico, Canada, Germany, Italy, Greece, Macedonia, and his favorite is Albania.

He worked for an online publisher and saw an article on Mango Languages and thought he could explore his love of languages at Mango. We are so happy to have him on the team.

Please help us welcome Nev!

World Wednesday: Happy Thanksgiving

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the United States and we wanted to wish everyone a safe and Happy Thanksgiving from the Mango family to yours! There are many traditions we have to celebrate this holiday…what do you do to celebrate?