Library Services for Immigrants

A Report on Current Practices

Office of Citizenship

March 2006

Distributed by:

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Table of Contents

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 1

Partnerships ......................................................................................................................................................... 1

Collections ........................................................................................................................................................... 2

Information Services ............................................................................................................................................ 3

Programs and Events ............................................................................................................................................ 3

Outreach .............................................................................................................................................................. 4

Planning ............................................................................................................................................................... 4

Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................................... 5

Appendix

Working Group Participants ................................................................................................................................ 6

Websites of Libraries Participating in the Working Group .................................................................................... 6
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ABOUT U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICERS

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a former Immigration and Naturalization Service component, is 

charged with fundamentally transforming and improving the delivery of immigration and citizenship services. The 

Office of Citizenship, within USCIS, demonstrates this new commitment. The Office is mandated by the Homeland 

Security Act of 2002 to promote instruction and training on citizenship rights and responsibilities and to provide 

immigrants with information and tools necessary to successfully integrate into American civic culture. The Office’s 

products and publications provide instruction to immigrants at two key points on their journey towards civic 

integration: when they first become permanent residents and when they are ready to begin the formal naturalization 

process.

ABOUT THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 

libraries and 17,500 museums. Through its grant making, convenings, research and publications, the Institute 

empowers museums and libraries nationwide to provide leadership and services to enhance learning in families and 

communities, sustain cultural heritage, build twenty-first-century skills, and increase civic participation. To learn more 

about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.
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INTRODUCTION

Public libraries in the United States have a long history of 

providing resources and education to immigrants. This 

tradition may be traced to Andrew Carnegie’s support for 

public libraries as a place for immigrant self-education, 

enlightenment, and the study of democracy and English. 

This role is especially relevant today as the immigrant 

population in the United States has grown to a record 

33.5 million people, representing 12 percent of the 

U.S. population. New immigrants are settling outside of 

traditional gateway cities where there are fewer resources 

to facilitate integration, such as English language 

instruction or citizenship preparation courses. Thus, there 

is an even greater role for public libraries in welcoming 

and educating immigrants. 

This report identifies current practices in library services 

for immigrants and offers ideas for libraries that wish to 

provide programs and services for immigrants living in 

their communities. The report, which provides sample 

suggestions and strategies, is not a comprehensive guide, 

as there are likely many other promising approaches for 

assisting immigrants in libraries nationwide. The report 

addresses the following topics: 

• Partnerships

• Collections

• Information Services

• Programs and Events

• Outreach

• Planning

The practices and recommendations in this report are the 

result of a working group convened in October 2004 by 

the Office of Citizenship, which is part of U.S. Citizenship 

and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of 

Homeland Security. The Office of Citizenship’s mission is 

to promote instruction and training on citizenship rights 

and responsibilities and to foster the civic integration of 

immigrants. The working group included representatives 

from public libraries across the country, immigrant 

community-based organizations, and adult educators 

who work with English language learners. (Participating 

organizations are listed in the appendix.) Over the course 

of a day and a half, the group discussed many issues 

related to helping immigrants integrate into U.S. society, 

with a special focus on the roles public libraries can play. 

Their ideas are reflected in this report. 

PARTNERSHIPS

In many communities with large or new immigrant 

populations, public libraries and organizations that serve 

immigrants often face a demand for services that exceeds 

their resources. Working group participants identified 

partnerships between libraries and immigrant-serving 

organizations as a strategy for bridging the resource gap. 

Partnerships help to leverage resources, provide avenues 

for sharing information and referrals, and can provide 

technical assistance to a library’s program.

The staff of The American Place, an immigration program at the 

Hartford Public Library in Connecticut, took advantage of the 

proximity of their library to government offices and developed 

a close working relationship with the local USCIS Hartford 

Sub-Office. Library staff regularly participates in the community 

meetings hosted by the Hartford Sub-Office to provide input on 

local immigration matters.

Partnering organizations can distribute library outreach 

materials, present library information at their events, 

provide speakers for events at the library, advise on 

effective ways to reach target audiences, and refer their 

immigrant clients to the library. These organizations 

may be willing to underwrite some of the costs of 

outreach efforts, for example, by paying to print flyers 

or a newsletter for the immigrant community. Successful 

partnerships are those in which all members agree on 

their purpose and goals and cooperate to meet the needs 

of the community’s immigrant residents. The working 

group cautioned that partnerships must be compatible 

with the library’s mission.

The Boulder Public Library in Colorado collaborated with the 

University of Colorado at Boulder to present “Communities 

of Exile,” a day-long event held at the library that featured 

presentations by individuals, music, poetry reading, and 

performances.

A first step toward building partnerships is involving 

the local immigrant community in the life of the library. 

Libraries should solicit their advice on programs and 

services and invite immigrants and representatives from 

community organizations and local agencies to serve on 

advisory councils or working groups. 

Library Services for Immigrants 

A Report on Current Practices
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The following organizations were suggested by working 

group members as likely partners:

• Government agencies for public assistance, 

employment, health care, legal advice, education, and 

immigration

• Community-based organizations, especially those who 

focus on immigrants

• Organizations that work with specific immigrant 

groups

• Adult education providers and English language 

instructional programs

• Local universities and community colleges

• Faith-based organizations

• Local public school systems

• Social services agencies

• Refugee and resettlement organizations

• Local business associations and service clubs

The King County Public Library in Washington State joined 

forces with a local literacy organization, a church, and the 

USCIS Seattle District Office to develop a pilot program called 

“Centered on Citizenship.” The program’s goal is to involve teen 

tutors in preparing adult and elderly citizenship applicants for 

the naturalization process. Tutoring includes question-and-answer 

practice for the naturalization exam as well as English language 

dictation practice. In addition, applicants get training and practice 

in techniques to help them handle the stress that may arise during 

their naturalization interview.

Working group members advised that businesses, both 

local enterprises and local branches of large corporations, 

may also make good partners, especially those businesses 

that provide services to immigrants, such as banks. Many 

of these institutions may have developed materials for 

immigrants in their native language or at a lower level of 

English and may provide copies to libraries to distribute. 

Other resources that partners can provide include:

• Access to community information—demographics, 

needs assessments, surveys, etc.

• Translation assistance

• Teachers for English as a Second Language (ESL) or 

citizenship classes

• Speakers for programs

• Donated materials and equipment

• Transportation assistance

• Childcare

• Legal advice

• Tutors and storytellers

• Assistance with grant applications

• Financial support

The Queens Borough Public Library in New York has a 

partnership with the Queens Health Network, the largest 

health care provider in the area. They work together to plan 

monthly “coping skills” workshops addressing the health needs of 

immigrants and featuring speakers from two local public hospitals.

COLLECTIONS

Working group participants recommended that libraries 

wanting to expand their holdings for a new immigrant 

group should first determine the group’s interests and 

needs. One approach would be to form a subcommittee 

within the collection development committee to help 

select materials for immigrant patrons. The subcommittee 

might consist of representatives from the various units of 

the library, representatives of immigrant-serving agencies, 

and, of course, immigrants themselves. In addition to 

developing collections, this group can enable the library 

to build important connections in the community. Other 

ways to solicit advice about building a collection for 

immigrants include:

• Consulting with other libraries serving substantial 

numbers of immigrants

• Holding focus groups with immigrants

• Consulting with community agencies that serve 

immigrants

• Conducting an immigrant needs assessment as part of 

a general community needs assessment

Suggestions for collections might include:

• English language instructional materials

• Citizenship and immigration resources

• Tutor resource materials

• Dictionaries in multiple languages

• Novels translated into other languages

• “How-to” books in multiple languages

• Periodicals and newspapers in different languages

• Information on various ethnic groups and cultures

• Original source materials

• Music and video resources

• Forms, brochures, and directories for community 

services

Working group participants noted that it is crucial to take 

into account immigrants’ wide range of English language 

skills when selecting materials. If members of the library 

staff are unfamiliar with procedures for determining the 

reading level of materials, a local ESL provider may be 

able to help. Purchasing a reputable, reasonably priced 

readability software program may also be a resource. 
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Participants also suggested collecting native language 

materials selectively. Criteria for acquisition of these 

materials may include the estimated number of speakers 

of a specific language within a community, usefulness 

to library patrons, and relevance to particular programs 

offered by the library or other community organizations. 

INFORMATION SERVICES

All of the libraries participating in the working group 

reported having a user-friendly web page listing their 

resources for immigrants. Some libraries involved 

representatives of the immigrant community in the 

process of designing the page. Immigrant community 

members can provide guidance about the usefulness 

of the information, ease of navigation, and elements 

that will make a web page attractive to their peers. The 

group recommended asking other agencies that serve 

immigrants to link their page to the library’s menu of 

immigrant services. Translating the library’s web page 

into the most common languages spoken among local 

immigrants is another strategy for making the library 

more accessible to immigrants.

Because library staff members are familiar with the 

community, they are often in a good position to refer 

immigrants to other local agencies or organizations. 

Many communities have developed free, comprehensive 

community services guides. This is often the library staff’s 

most useful resource for making referrals. Participants 

recommended contacting local organizations that work 

with immigrants to see if translations are available that 

could be added to a library’s collection. 

Several libraries developed their own community services 

guide when they learned that the community did not have 

one. The guide can be as simple as a three-ring binder 

or as advanced as an interactive web page. The process 

involves deciding what information is most useful in 

making referrals and then surveying local organizations to 

get this information. It is important to note if community 

organizations have bilingual staff. Some libraries set a goal 

of reviewing and updating this guide at least twice yearly.

The Queens Borough Public Library has print and online copies of 

the Queens Directory of Immigrant-Serving Agencies. Published 

every two years, the Directory lists almost 200 agencies providing 

services in more than 50 languages. The library also offers 

“Bienvenidos a Queens,” a Spanish language web directory of 

community resources.

PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

Family and intergenerational programs enable libraries to 

attract patrons of all ages. Participants noted that they try 

to attract immigrant families by offering various types of 

afterschool and evening programs. Other libraries work 

with local schools to design programs to meet specific 

needs, such as a workshop on English grammar for 

students or a library tour for parents. 

The Queens Borough Public Library offers workshops in branch 

libraries to help immigrants adjust to life in their new country. 

Programs are presented in the community’s main immigrant 

languages by lawyers, teachers, counselors, and other professionals. 

Workshop topics have included immigration law, health issues, job 

search, women’s issues, parenting, education, and others.

Bridge programs are intended to help immigrants 

learn about and integrate into their communities. 

Well-designed bridge programs create opportunities 

for immigrants to meet and interact with a variety of 

community members, while also providing valuable 

information and skills needed by all. Immigrant parents 

can make new connections in the community, learn to 

help their children in school, and improve their own 

language skills. For elderly immigrants, these programs 

can reduce their isolation and help connect them to the 

community. Sample programs might include:

• Community resources seminars

• “American Issues” and civics discussion groups

• Cultural activities and holiday events

• On-site English language and citizenship classes

• Conversation-practice groups

• Free seminars by immigration lawyers

• Book clubs

• Voter education seminars

• Health seminars

• Family literacy programs

• Computer literacy programs

The working group also offered ideas and suggestions 

for participating in program events located outside of the 

library itself in order to attract immigrants to the libraries. 

Some of these ideas include: 

• Participating in community events that reach out to 

immigrants

• Attending adult and continuing education forums to 

learn about new services and programs

• Visiting with staff at refugee centers and other social 

services agencies and getting on their mailing lists
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The ESL Center at the Jones Library in Massachusetts recruits, 

trains, and supervises volunteer tutors who work one-on-one with 

adult immigrants. The Center also provides citizenship application 

packets in envelopes addressed to USCIS. The ESL Coordinator 

answers questions about the naturalization process and offers 

practice interviews to help learners prepare for their naturalization 

interview.

OUTREACH

As one working group participant noted, “Once you 

have found the immigrants living in your community, 

winning their trust is the next hurdle.” Some immigrants 

may be wary of public institutions because of personal 

experiences in their home countries or a lack of 

knowledge about government services in the United 

States. It is important to have a plan to let the community 

at large, and immigrant communities in particular, know 

about library services. It is worthwhile to take the time to 

create a clear outreach message and make sure all library 

staff members know and understand this message.

The Outreach Librarian at the Boulder Public Library considers 

outreach to be inextricably linked to partnerships. Her first 

step as an Outreach Librarian was to attend meetings held by 

community groups and other organizations. In collaboration with 

other agencies, the library was able to initiate an Immigration 

and U.S. Citizenship Advocacy Group consisting of representatives 

of local government agencies, schools, adult education and literacy 

programs, and other organizations.

Participants recommended identifying a target audience 

as specifically as possible, taking into consideration where 

immigrants live and work, and then listing possible 

methods of communication into existing library-wide 

marketing plans. 

The Queens Borough Public Library distributes “Help!” booklets 

and bookmarks to assist immigrant library patrons. Available in 

English and 12 other languages, the “Help!” materials feature 

basic library terminology.

The following are strategies for helping immigrant 

patrons feel welcome and valued in the library:

• Recruit immigrants to serve on the library board.

• Hold library tours for immigrant groups and host 

public lectures on issues of interest to immigrant 

communities.

• Hold a series of round table discussions on immigrant 

issues at the library.

• Create an agency book club with peers from other 

community agencies to learn more about the 

immigrants in the community.

• Participate in local public events to publicize the 

library’s services for immigrants, including visiting 

adult ESL programs and local employers who hire 

immigrants to let them know about library resources.

• Print a brief brochure or flyer—in English and in the 

native languages of a local community’s immigrants—

that describes the library’s programs and services. Ask 

partners to distribute these throughout the community.

• Develop public service announcements (PSAs) for local 

radio stations.

“Library Links!,” the multilingual outreach program of the 

Minneapolis Public Library in Minnesota, has six Bilingual 

Outreach Liaisons, regular library staff members who develop 

partnerships, attend community events, make regular contact with 

other organizations to inform them about library programs and 

events, and help introduce immigrants to the library. Bilingual 

Outreach Liaisons also work regular shifts at the library so that 

patrons will know when bilingual assistance is available and 

they also translate all appropriate library-produced literature 

and provide training workshops for teachers who work with 

immigrants.

PLANNING

All working group participants emphasized that planning 

is crucial to creating thoughtful, well-organized programs 

and services for immigrant patrons. The planning process 

should be the same process used for other programs 

and services the library offers. If the library staff is 

not experienced in planning programs and services, a 

colleague from another public library may be able to 

assist. If a library is just beginning to serve immigrants, 

taking some small, thoughtful steps toward attracting 

and assisting immigrants is more likely to succeed than 

creating an elaborate plan that may prove difficult to 

implement. 

The working group suggested the following steps in 

developing a plan and managing services to immigrants: 

• Identify and involve stakeholders and the target 

population. 

Stakeholders are all those in the community with a 

vested interest in the success of the library’s programs, 

including the immigrant groups the library serves and 

other community organizations, such as literacy councils, 

schools, or local government. 
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• Develop a statement of purpose. 

A written statement of purpose that is based on and 

supports the mission of the library is a good first step. 

Library staff, stakeholders, and community members 

should develop a clear, concise statement of purpose that 

reflects the needs of the community. 

• Define the scope of programs and services. 

Establish a scope of services that is manageable and 

identify partners to fill in gaps or supply needed expertise. 

Include plans for an evaluation early in the planning 

process, rather than waiting until programs are fully 

implemented. Seek outside assistance with this process if 

staff members do not have the expertise.

The ESL Center at the Jones Library tracks many indicators of 

their program’s effectiveness, including the number of students 

who become naturalized citizens, enter college or training, become 

employed, or receive their GED diploma; the number of ESL books 

and audiovisual materials circulated; and the number of people 

receiving citizenship information packets and assistance, among 

others. The library also maintains a bulletin board featuring 

patrons who have recently become citizens.

• Include immigrant services in the budget. 

Explore how other libraries have budgeted support 

services for immigrants and determine whether the 

library’s budget might accommodate similar “set asides.” 

Identify other possible funding sources during the budget 

planning process. Consider applying for grants to support 

new and innovative programs and services. “New and 

innovative” may simply mean new to your community or 

service area. Make sure immigrant services are included in 

a separate line item or existing budget categories.

“Library Links!” at the Minneapolis Public Library was created 

in 1999 through the Carnegie Gateway Project of the Carnegie 

Corporation. When Carnegie’s support ended in 2001, “Library 

Links!” had become “a key element in how the Minneapolis Public 

Library served the community,” and the program was added to the 

library’s operating budget. 

• Review organizational structure and staffing. 

Decide how staff will be deployed, who will administer 

the services, and who will work with partners. Consider 

the general skills that staff will need such as techniques to 

use when working with a population with limited English 

skills. One working group participant recommended 

offering internships to immigrants with skills that might 

help the program or involving library board members 

and community partners in helping to identify qualified 

individuals.

With a $500 grant from the Friends of the Austin Public 

Library in Texas, the library created kits to help train volunteers 

who lead “Talk Time,” informal conversation practice sessions for 

English language learners who visit the library.

• Analyze the physical environment. 

As one working group participant stated, “It’s a waste of 

time and energy getting immigrants into the library if the 

physical environment is not conducive to their needs.” 

Make sure the library’s physical space is welcoming and 

easy to navigate for immigrant patrons who may be 

unfamiliar with how a public library functions. Choose 

the format and language for all signs carefully to ensure 

that they are clear to all patrons. Check to see if additional 

signs are needed to direct immigrants to resources aimed 

at them. 

The Austin Public Library has five New Immigrants Centers that 

provide information, study and audiovisual materials, computer 

access, and software designed for independent, self-paced learning 

by immigrants. There is no dedicated staff for the Centers; the 

library’s Committee on Adult Literacy and Immigrant Issues 

serves as the coordinating body for the Centers, with the five 

branch library managers, reference staff, and other interested staff 

members participating.

CONCLUSION

The ideas and suggestions presented in this report are the 

result of a working group of librarians, adult educators, 

and community-based organizations that met in October 

2004 to discuss current practices and strategies for 

immigrant services in public libraries. As public libraries 

continue to play an important role in welcoming 

immigrants into their communities, these suggestions for 

partnerships, collections, information services, programs, 

events, and outreach should prove useful to the thousands 

of libraries located in American communities. The Office 

of Citizenship, within USCIS, convened this working 

group in support of its mission to facilitate the civic 

integration of immigrants.
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Appendix

WORKING GROUP PARTICIPANTS

American Library Association, Chicago, IL

Austin Public Library, Austin, TX

Bosnian-Herzegovinian Cultural Center, Chicago, IL

Boulder Public Library, Boulder, CO

Chicago Public Library, Chicago, IL

Chinese Mutual Aid Association, Chicago, IL

College of Du Page, Gelen Ellyn, IL

Hartford Public Library, Hartford, CT

Hebrew Immigration Aid Society, Chicago, IL

Jones Library, Amherst, MA

League of United Latin American Citizens, Chicago, IL

Minneapolis Public Libraries, Minneapolis, MN

National Institute for Literacy, Washington, DC

Queens Borough Public Library, Queens, NY

Seattle King County Library System, Seattle, WA

Township High School District 214, Arlington Heights, IL

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Chicago, IL and Washington, DC

WEBSITES OF LIBRARIES PARTICIPATING IN THE WORKING GROUP

Austin Public Library http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/library/i_about.htm

Boulder Public Library http://www.boulder.lib.co.us/special/multicultural/

Chicago Public Library http://chipublib.org/

Hartford Public Library http://www.hplct.org/tap/TAP.htm

Jones Library http://www.joneslibrary.org/esl/index.html

King County Library System (WA) http://www.kcls.org/lit/esl.cfm

Minneapolis Public Library http://www.mplib.org/librarylinks.asp

Queens Borough Public Library http://www.queenslibrary.org/programs/nap/index.asp

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http://www.uscis.gov http://www.imls.gov