What are some ways to make your library welcoming to refugees?

If in the UK you could apply for a Library of Sanctuary award through City of Sanctuary UK, who would support you every step of the way to meet the criteria for the award.

• First off, talk to local refugee associations or refugee families, gather their ideas and suggestions, act on them, and give feedback. • Include books in the languages most spoken by refugees. • A great experiment that seems to be working well in Barcelona, my city: library outposts (for instance in a container) in parks or avenues, with open air tables, chairs and games for kids, favouring neighbourhoods that both need the project in general terms, and have a high concentration of refugees.

Creating a welcoming library for refugees involves building more than just a bookshelf-filled haven. It's about understanding their unique needs and fostering an environment that feels safe, inclusive, and empowering. Here are some ways to achieve this: Creating a safe and inclusive space: - Decorate with visuals reflecting diverse cultures and languages spoken in the community. Respectful atmosphere Train staff to use inclusive language and be aware of cultural sensitivities. Offer quiet spaces for prayer or reflection. Digital access Offer free Wi-Fi and computer stations with multilingual interfaces and translation tools.

Teach library staff to be exceptionally welcoming to refugees. Refugees often experience profound isolation in new societies, sometimes without expressing their emotions. It is crucial for them to perceive libraries as welcoming spaces. Many newly arrived refugees, particularly older ones, may not know the local languages. Offering language learning materials and resources is invaluable, and engaging in conversations with them is essential. Communication aids language acquisition and contributes to their sense of safety and comfort in the library.

Libraries can foster an environment that welcomes and supports refugees in their journey towards rebuilding their lives by implementing inclusive measures such as multilingual support, cultural sensitivity, tailored services, collaborative partnerships, and promoting refugee storytelling.

bonjour, Je suis intéressée par ce genre de service de bibliothèque, En effet, j'ai une expérience en matière de recherche bibliographique, et je suis en train d'aider les chercheurs et étudiants à faire leurs bibliographies de thèse. cordialement, Hamida Bessaad, Chercheur en sciences politiques

Libraries are awesome place for refugees to seek information and education, make sure elaborate well comunicative tip sheet on how to navigate libraries and how to look up resources, wikipidias, and books. It is importante to distribute these comunicative tip sheets in different languages (Spanish, French, Arabic) in different places in the libraries. Also, make sure that the tip sheet includes information on how to find, lend, return to shelf, and return to library in case of checking out.

Here are some strategies: 1. Language Support: - Provide multilingual signage in the library, especially in languages common among the refugee community. - Offer language-learning resources and tools, including books, audio-visual materials, and access to online language learning platforms. - Employ staff or volunteers who speak languages common among the refugees. 2. Cultural Sensitivity: - Train staff in cultural competence and sensitivity to understand and respect diverse backgrounds and experiences. - Host cultural events or exhibitions to celebrate the cultures of refugee communities.

3. Information and Resource Accessibility: - Create guides or brochures in multiple languages explaining how to use the library and its resources. - Provide information on local services and resources for refugees, like legal aid, healthcare, education, and employment assistance. 4. Community Building: - Organize events and programs specifically for refugees, like community meetings, cultural exchange programs, and storytelling sessions. - Create spaces within the library for social interaction and community support.

Aside from internal visuals and environments, community engagement is key. For most library branches, a library often becomes the hub for its community, especially one that is centralized around the demographics of refugees. Community engagement allows for both the community and the library branch to have a means of mutual communication- "We as a library offer these spaces and these services" as well as allows for the community to respond with "Do you have these kinds of books? How do I do this" - it also allows for both the community and the staff within the library to be introduced to each other, diminishing uncertainty and promoting confidence in patrons to utilize services catered to them.

In times of struggle the best thing to do is to get organized. First of, create an accessible space for multilingual sources; in that way not only they find sources faster but much more easier. Second, arrange a shelf based on languages first and topics and format second; once again to provide fast and easy identification of selected titles and/or media. Also to have anyone benefit from the effort, ask your fellow librarians if they speak any of these languages. Not only do they help out but they also grow the social circle, building a more diverse community around the library.

Living in a rural community in South Carolina it is imperative to build strong relationships with other non-profits and governmental agencies. Especially organizations that work with women suffering from or escaping domestic violence.

I would flip the narrative here and say that while you certainly need to evaluate programs, and there are many ways to do this, your key clients in this case refugees need to be an integral part of the 1) design of the evaluation 2) be the co-researchers 3) be the co-analyzers of information. Exploring ways to empower people at the core of projects will make evaluation efforts much more impactful for them. Participatory evaluation ( PAR) methods are an important part of Evaluation that is often overlooked. PAR methods are approachable and can be used by non-literate as well as literate populations, for example PhotoVoice.