Creating Americans How Public Libraries can serve Utah’s refugee population

The American Dream "The American public library empowered many immigrants to transform their individual dreams and potentialities into American realities." Eric Frederick Goldman, "Century of the American dream," Saturday Review (Dec. 13, 1975)

Who are Utah’s refugees?  Two main groups  Pre-Bosnia – Bosnia, Vietnam and some from Sudan and Somalia  Post-Bosnia – Iraq, Myanmar, Nepal, and Somalia -Gerald Brown, Director, Utah State Office of Refugee Services, personal communication April 18, 2010

Pre-Bosnian conflict  Most have been in U.S. for many years  Many have citizenship  Decent access to materials in Utah’s libraries  Vietnamese, Bosnian, Cuban, and Laotian

Current refugees  Two smaller groups based on education  Educated – Iraqis and Bhutanese from Nepal  Uneducated – Groups from Myanmar and West Africa  Uneducated need most help

How many are there?  About 1,100 come to Utah each year  The Utah State Office of Refugee Services estimates about 25,000 refugees currently call the state home

The library serving refugees Let’s visit “The American Place” at Hartford Public Library:

What can we do?  Celebrate World Refugee Day June 20 to raise community awareness

Social programs  Refugee’s rights workshops  Job training fairs  “How To” classes on using the Internet, getting a driver’s license, food stamps  Citizenship classes

Literacy programs  Online subscriptions to ethnic publications  Pamphlets on classes and programs in native language  Bilingual storytime for all ages - use volunteers from community

Librarians serve refugees around the world “My Librarian Is A Camel: How books are brought to children around the world”

References (2010) Central Intelligence Agency: The World Factbook. Retrieved from factbook/docs/flagsoftheworld.html on April 20, factbook/docs/flagsoftheworld.html on April 20 factbook/docs/flagsoftheworld.html on April 20 (2010) Help for Refugees. Retrieved from refugee.utah.gov/home/index.html on April 20, 2010 (2010) The American Place at Hartford Public Library. Retrieved from on April 20, on April 20 on April 20 Ruurs, M. (2005). My Librarian Is A Camel: How Books Are Brought To Children Around The World. Honesdale, PA: Boyd Mills Press.