Welcome,Stranger

PUBLIC LIBRARIES BUILD THE GLOBAL VILLAGE

Library Services to Multicultural Populations Section, IFLA – Vancouver, BC

Martin Gomez, President & CEOUrban Libraries Council

Urban Libraries Council

“Strengthening the public library as an essential part of urban life”

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• U.S. immigration - context

• Key findings from Welcome, Stranger

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• Sources & Credits – Pew Charitable Trusts– Center for Migration Studies, Joseph Chamie– Brookings Institution, Aubrey Singer– Migration Policy Institute, Brian Ray– ULC Member Libraries– Rick Ashton & Danielle Milam

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• “Projections offer a starting point for understanding.”

» Brian Ray, Migrant Policy Institute

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• World Population Growth and Migration PatternsCurrently

2.5 million people migrate world-wide

6,700,000,000 people in the world

• 2050 Projections9,000,000,000 by 2050

International Migration Flows

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• U.S. Immigration (2005)38 million foreign born (1 in 8 or 12%)

The highest since 1910 (14.7%)

35% naturalized; 35% legal non-residents; 31% unauthorized migrants

650,000 are naturalized annually

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• Projected U.S. Population Growth

→ By 2050 – 435,000,00082% will be the result of immigration

67,000,000 will be immigrants (50,000,000 will be children of immigrants)

29% (vs.14%) of the U.S. population will be Hispanic

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• “Established central cities may have depth of experience in working with diverse populations but immigration is forcing suburbs to catch up.”

» Brian Ray, Migration Policy Institute

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• U.S. Immigrant Settlement PatternsBetween 1900 – 2000 immigration grew 54.8%

in the 100 largest metro areas

1910 – 7.1% settled in suburbs

21.2% settled in central cities

2000 - 50% settled in suburbs

30.3% settled in central cities

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• “What’s happening now is that immigrants are showing up in many more communities all across the country than they have ever been in.”

» Aubrey Singer, Brookings Institution

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• Gateway Cities in the U.S.1. Continuous gateways

2. Former gateways

3. Post WW2 gateways

4. Emerging gateways

5. Re-emerging gateways

6. Pre-emerging gateways

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• U.S. Public Library Strategies1. Understand local immigration dynamics

2. Bring sensitivity to service delivery

3. Build English-language capacity

4. Create connections to local institutions

5. Encourage civic engagement

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• Understand (and act) on local immigration dynamics

1. Ability to track local demographic trends

2. Knowledge of neighborhood activities

3. Ability to dig deeper in order to assess need

4. Systemic tracking and planning

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• Bring sensitivity to service delivery1. Information, signage and website adaptions

2. Multi-language collections and collection marketing

3. Innovative outreach

4. Multi-language and multi-cultural programs

5. Multi-lingual and multi-cultural staff

6. Build relationships

7. Service planning and funding

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• Build English language capacity1. ESL classes and collections

2. Early literacy, family literacy and school readiness

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• Create connections to local institutions1. Workforce and business development

2. Health services

3. School engagement

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• Encourage civic engagement/participation

1. Expand community awareness and understanding of immigrant issues

2. Encourage participation in civic activities

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• “We want the library to be the place where cultures converge, where people really enter into the democratic process, follow and participate in elections, have their voices heard, and get involved in shaping their communities through civic engagement.”

» Louise Blalock, Hartford Public Library (Connecticut)

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Building the global village

Social policy requires strong leadership Economics influence public attitude/perceptions

about the immigrant community Libraries are perceived as safe, neutral places

that transcend political controversy

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www.urbanlibraries.org