Reshaping to serve evolving communities: Addressing immigrant needs in the library

Hoyer, Jennifer

doi:10.1386/jots.8.3.297_1

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…The literature and the respondents agreed that one of the key aspects for public libraries to serve forced migrants is to know their information needs (Costa et al, 2021; Hoyer, 2011; Lo and Stark, 2021; Morehart, 2018; Togores, 2014; UNHCR, 2021b; Winberry and Potnis, 2021). The research showed that there is an optimistic view about the libraries’ ability to respond to these needs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers: The role of public libraries in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area

Serra

Revez

2023

Journal of Librarianship and Information Science

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Social inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers includes addressing their information needs. This research seeks to examine the role of public libraries in this process through the analysis of public librarians’ perceptions. Based on the constructivist paradigm, the case study method, and the semi-directive interview survey technique, 16 public municipal libraries in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (Portugal) are studied. The results highlight that these libraries do not identify forced migrants as their users. Still, they consider that the information needs and behaviors and the use of libraries by these communities are similar to those of economic migrants, with emphasis on the relevance of free access to the internet, foreign language resources, Portuguese language and digital literacy courses, and help to interact with online platforms. The gaps include the existence of few Portuguese courses for foreigners, a limited practice in assisting with job and housing searches, promoting health literacy, and inclusive collaboration with schools, as well as space, financial, and human resources constraints. To overcome these difficulties, librarians emphasize the motivation to fulfill the inclusive social mission of the public library, the universal accessibility and informal environment of the library, and its action to promote social cohesion and social capital. The respondents consider that the mission of public libraries is adjusted to the goal of social inclusion of forced migrants, but that there is room for improvement in the training of librarians. This research points to the need for more initiative-taking public library collaboration with existing inclusion networks. In conclusion, we seek to alert to the urgency of the involvement of Portuguese public libraries in the social inclusion of forced migrants, which will also contribute to their institutional legitimization.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers: The role of public libraries in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area

Serra

Revez

2023

Journal of Librarianship and Information Science

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“…A literatura e os inquiridos concordaram que um dos aspetos primordiais para as bibliotecas públicas servirem os migrantes forçados passa por conhecer as suas necessidades informacionais (Costa et al, 2021;Hoyer, 2011;Lo and Stark, 2020;Morehart, 2018;Togores, 2014;UNHCR, 2021b;Winberry and Potnis, 2021). A investigação demonstrou existir uma predominante visão otimista sobre a capacidade de as bibliotecas responderem a essas necessidades.…”

Section: Discussão Necessidades Informacionais Dos Migrantes Forçadosunclassified

Public libraries in the social inclusion of forced migrants in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area

Serra,

Revez

2023

Advanced Notes in Information Science

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The social inclusion of forced migrants includes responding to their information needs. This investigation seeks to analyze public librarians' perceptions of the role of public libraries in such process. The research framework is the constructivist paradigm and uses the case study method to, through the semi-directive interview technique, investigate sixteen municipal public libraries in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. The results highlight that forced migrants are not identified users of these libraries. However, public librarians equate them to economic migrants in informational needs and behaviors, highlighting the importance of free internet access, the resources in foreign languages, the Portuguese language courses, and the help to interact with online platforms. As shortcomings, there are few Portuguese courses for foreigners, limited practice in job search, housing and inclusive collaboration with schools, and limitations in terms of space and human and financial resources. These difficulties can be overcome with the motivation to fulfil the public library's inclusive social mission, its universal accessibility and informal environment, and the promotions of cohesion and social capital. While the mission of libraries fits the purpose of forced migrants’ inclusion, the education and training of librarians could be improved. It is recommended that the public libraries increase their proactivity and collaboration with existing inclusion networks. In conclusion, this research aims to raise awareness of the urgency of developing a strategic plan for Portuguese public libraries for the social inclusion of forced migrants, and to promote its institutional and social legitimacy.

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“…The ML collection is often the first service libraries start with when developing services that cater to immigrant populations (Hoyer, 2011). Early in public library service, there was some evidence of collection development of non-English items.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although these results may not provide information about community needs, they can provide information about immigration, distribution within an area, and languages spoken by residents. Most assessments of ML collections include this type of demographic information as a measure of the population (Atlestam et al, 2011;Dilevko & Dali, 2002;Garrison, 2013;Hoyer, 2011;Rodrigues, 2006). Libraries that have not utilized a community profile, such as census results, also have been found to have very imbalanced ML collections (Hansson, 2011;Hoyer, 2011;Rodrigues, 2006).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most assessments of ML collections include this type of demographic information as a measure of the population (Atlestam et al, 2011;Dilevko & Dali, 2002;Garrison, 2013;Hoyer, 2011;Rodrigues, 2006). Libraries that have not utilized a community profile, such as census results, also have been found to have very imbalanced ML collections (Hansson, 2011;Hoyer, 2011;Rodrigues, 2006). As Canada's largest and most multicultural city, Toronto plays a significant role in receiving immigrants to Canada (Kumaran & Salt, 2010;Quirke, 2007).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessment of Multilingual Collections in Public Libraries: A Case Study of the Toronto Public Library

Ly¹

2018

EBLIP

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Abstract Objective – The Toronto Public Library has been frequently identified as having an exemplary multilingual collection to serve the information needs of the most diverse population in Canada; however, there is no evidence or collection assessment information available in the literature to validate those claims. This research sought to gain an understanding of the current state of their multilingual collection and compare it to the most recent multicultural population demographics. Methods – This was a case study of the Toronto Public Library multilingual collection using data collected from their online public access catalogue in November 2017. Data was collected about all languages available, with English, French, and the 17 most spoken mother tongues explored in more detail. Language results from the Statistics Canada 2016 Census of Population were also collected. Data was used to calculate and compare the English, French, and language collections to the population of reported mother tongues spoken in Toronto. Results – It was found that the Toronto Public Library has items in 307 languages. While the collection comprises many languages, there is far more focus on official language items than any other language compared to the population in terms of number of items and variety of formats. All 17 non-official languages that were studied had fewer items proportionally available in the catalogue than the proportion of speakers with that mother tongue. Conclusion – The high circulation rates of the Toronto Public Library’s multilingual collection indicate that it has had some success in meeting the needs of its community. However, as the largest library system in Canada with a highly regarded multilingual collection and with many resources for collection development, the Toronto Public Library falls short of having a language collection that is proportional to the languages spoken within the community. While it may not be possible to have a multilingual collection that is entirely representative of the community, this study shows that libraries can use census data to monitor population shifts in order to be responsive to the information needs of their changing communities.

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Reshaping to serve evolving communities: Addressing immigrant needs in the library

Cited by 7 publications

References 5 publications

Social inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers: The role of public libraries in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area

Social inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers: The role of public libraries in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area

Public libraries in the social inclusion of forced migrants in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area

Assessment of Multilingual Collections in Public Libraries: A Case Study of the Toronto Public Library

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