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1. Settlement and Public Libraries: Initiatives and Potential Laura Heller and Susan MacDonald OCASI Executive Directors’ Forum Tuesday October 21, 2008 7:30-8:30 Titulo de la presentacion

2. Session Objectives • Share information about a new settlement sector program • Review and consult with the settlement sector on its potential • Provide a rationale for Executive Directors to share information with their staff about LSP and facilitate client referrals • Consider program expansion • Consult with settlement sector about evaluation approaches

3. Overview of Presentation • Overview of international efforts of public library initiatives in diverse communities • Newcomer information needs and information seeking practices • Partnership opportunities • Overview of LSP (history and current developments) • Evaluating impact of information services to newcomers

4. Review Canadian experience and LSP in particular in light of overall response of the public library sector to address the changing constituencies of users Touching on some US, British and Canadian experiences as samples of relevant approaches International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) also taking leadership in developing resources, strategies and professional development opportunities Overview: Introduction

5. Overall numbers of migrants have increased internationally which has engendered academic and policy debate around the following concepts: social capital and civic participation integration and social cohesion “The challenges posed by these concepts and by rapid change means there is an urgent need for local councils and other organisations to think, plan and deliver more collaboratively, and to share good practice more effectively – and they need support to do so.” Strategic Context

6. Role of Public Libraries But why is this relevant to public libraries? • Vital and well established community asset • Bring people together in context of community interaction and often development • Provide access to reading, learning, information and citizenship • Support formal and informal skills development • Gateways to knowledge and their resources provide for individual and shared discovery and empowerment.

7. Examples of Library Services to Newcomers: United States • Provided services and resources to newcomers since the late 19th century • Traditional departments have expanded to include multilingual services, collections, and programs • Introduced ‘New Immigrant Centers’ • Post 9/11 focus on public libraries’ role in integrating New immigrants into American culture: “New Americans Library Initiative”

8. Examples of Library Services to Newcomers: Canada • Social inclusion – removing barriers to full participation in all aspects of Canadian society – rather than integration • Programs and services in Canada’s public libraries reflect new social inclusion principles • Working Together initiative (2005-2008): www.librariesincommunities.ca

9. Overview: Examples of Library Services to Newcomers: UK • Welcome To Your Library • a ground-breaking project in the UK connecting public libraries with refugees and asylum seekers • developed major tools, practices, and an active communication tool (its listserv) shared throughout the UK and elsewhere

10. Research on Immigrants’ Information Practices What are the information needs, pathways/sources, and barriers to information experienced by immigrants throughout the settlement process? Report authors: Professor Nadia Caidi, Doctoral students: Danielle Allard and Diane Dechief, University of Toronto, Faculty of Information

11. New Immigrant Information Needs: • Language information (e.g. translation and interpretation services) • Pre-migration information • Employment information, such as job search skills • Housing information • Information about making connections in the community (e.g. professional associations, volunteer opportunities) • Information about new culture and orientation to ‘Canadian life’

12. Longer Established Immigrants’ Information Needs: • Health and employment information • Educational information • Political information and current events • Language learning information (e.g. ESL) • Information about transportation • Information about identity construction (e.g. how to position themselves vis-à-vis Canadian society) • Information about culture/religious events

13. Information Pathways/ Sources of Newcomers: • Family and friends, local and transnational • Media sources such as newspapers and the Internet • Organizations such as community centres and settlement agencies • government

14. Barriers to Accessing Information for Newcomers: • Language (e.g. fear of speaking English) • Suspicion or mistrust of authority • Isolation and feeling like an outsider • Using children to find information • Lack of familiarity with Canadian information institutions/sources • Cultural differences • Not knowing how to ask for services

15. Information Practices • Information practices = An umbrella term that captures the complex ways that individuals actively or indirectly look for information to help them make sense of their lives. • Everyday Life Information seeking (ELIS) (Savolainen 1995) • Habitual, non-rational, multiple goals • Newcomers need to establish new patterns and information sources in a ‘culturally alien information environment’ (Mehra & Pappajohn 2007)

16. Information Poverty • Information poverty = Lacking necessary resources such as adequate social networks and information finding skills that enable everyday information seeking. • Are new immigrants information poor? • Need basic information for survival Limited local social networks • Little knowledge of the Canadian information environment • But…typically new immigrants have high levels of education and often have non-local or transnational social networks

17. Benefits of Partnering with Libraries • Offer programs that target newcomers • Community Information & Referral Services • Adult Education & Literacy • Multilingual Collections • Other Resources

18. Library Programming for Newcomers • 1x1 tutoring – ESL, literacy, citizenship help • ESL classes • Computer classes – ESL and other languages • ESL story time for pre-schoolers and parents • orientation sessions on healthcare, job search, how to obtain a driver’s license

19. Library Collections for Newcomers • Multilingual collections in first language (books and audiovisuals) • English books that are easy-to-read • Newspapers and magazines – foreign and local • Dual language materials especially for young people • Tools such as bilingual dictionaries

20. Library Services for Newcomers • Data bases • Internet service and some training on how to use it • Research services and assistance to support adult education, community programs, employment efforts (self employment etc)

21. Community Information & Referral Services in Libraries • Public libraries have provided community information and referrals since the 1970s • Developed electronic databases that later became networked with other libraries and organizations • www.211.ca an example of such an initiative

22. Adult Education & Literacy in Libraries • Libraries have a long history of partnering with literacy agencies • Offer 1x1 tutoring integrating citizenship information & support • Story time programs develop pre-literacy skills in pre-school children and also offer adults opportunity to practice English

23. Libraries Inclusion of Newcomers How can libraries ensure that their traditional programming is truly inclusive? • Opportunities for communities and libraries to extend the reach and participation in such library-driven activities such as book reading clubs, local history, etc. • Newcomer involvement in such areas as participating in collection development • Strategic planning and other decision making processes to include newcomers

24. There are numerous well-documented examples of public libraries as providers of services for culturally diverse communities. Services for approach usually includes: Collections in different languages Internet access enabling library users to keep in touch with what is happening in other countries. Programs targeted at specific underserved groups in such a way that they are seen as a separate “add-on” rather than part of core services Programs often have been over-dependent on the commitment of specific individual members of library staff The approach adopted has tended to be service-led, rather than transformational. Summary

25. From dream to reality - LSP • Given the potential for settlement sector / public library partnerships to improve settlement and long term quality of life of immigrants, what is LSP and how is it contributing?

26. Some background information • LSP grew out of the Settlement Workers in Schools initiative. • The Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) Program is a very unique partnership model first piloted in 1999 that involves the participation of settlement agencies, school boards and CIC. • The program reaches out to newcomer families by placing settlement workers in elementary and secondary schools. By placing settlement services where all school-aged children must go, we are able to reach a greater number of newcomers than through traditional points of service. • During the summer months when school is out, settlement workers needed to find other places in the community where they could deliver services. The library became a popular spot for SWIS workers. • Libraries saw the benefit of having settlement workers in the library year-round, not just during the summer and thus, LSP was born.

27. Rationale for LSP Like SWIS, LSP brings settlement workers to where clients are.

28. LSP derives its funds from ISAP A funds. ISAP A includes the following services: Initial needs assessment Information and orientation Interpretation and translation Referral to appropriate community resources Solution-focused counselling Employment-related services ISAP A is delivered by over 160 service providing organizations (SPOs) across Ontario – both ethno-specific and multi-ethnic organizations 60% of SPOs are located in Toronto Over 200,000 clients were served in 2007 Other initiatives that receive funding through ISAP A include: SWIS, ELT, JSW, etc. LSP in CIC

29. LSP Enhances the Settlement Sector’s Service Delivery Options and Reach Traditionally CIC funded services are available to • Permanent Residents • Protected Persons • Persons whose applications for Permanent Resident status have been approved in principle • Live-in caregivers (ISAP services only) • Canadian citizens and refugee claimants are not eligible clients. However, LSP expands eligibility • Co-funding allows for access by non eligible CIC clients. LSP is considered to be a co-funded project because of the non monetary in-kind contributions the library provides. • Provides another and very public venue to promote and deliver settlement services

30. LSP was first piloted last year in three library systems: Toronto Public Library (7 branches) Hamilton Public Library (3 branches + the bookmobile) Ottawa Public Library (7 branches) LSP History

31. Based on the initial success of the pilot, LSP is now in expansion mode in Toronto (to 19 branches) and is just getting off the ground in: Windsor (3 branches) London (4 branches) Kitchener (2 branches) Waterloo (2 branches) Brampton (2 branches) Vaughan (1 branch) Richmond Hill (1 branch) Markham (2 branches) History of LSP

32. Languages and Communities of LSP Service

33. Pilot Communities

35. New Communities

36. Total of 49 branches served by 23 agencies 11 communities participating (3 pilot and 8 new) each represented by one public library system (11 systems) Pilot phase consisted of 12 agencies serving 20 branches Expansion represents a doubling of total numbers and tripling of the number of communities involved Summary

37. One-on-one service Group programs (information sessions and also places to facilitate community interaction – conversation circles, etc) Outreach (to promote the program and increased understanding of public libraries and what they offer) Supports information sharing and progress of two sectors both committed to information service, education, and community development What Does LSP Do?

38. Structure of LSP(like SWIS, a partnership model of service delivery)

39. Next steps for LSP include further developing the program in the current 11 communities Looking for new programming opportunities (new activities, new branches and new communities) Capacity building through training, sharing best practices, etc. Evaluating the program Conclusion

40. Open discussion about the experiences of participants in evaluating information services and what might be something we could review for LSP? Evaluation

41. Keep informed www.lsp-peb.ca Share information about LSP with staff and settlement sector colleagues Consider becoming an agency partner as the program expands What you can do

42. Thanks and keep in touch!coordinator@ciclsp.ca