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.

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.