Building Bridges for Inclusion, Lessons from the Library Bridges Project on Local Partnerships for integration

Abstract

Migration is not a new phenomenon—migrants and refugees have long been part of our communities and will continue to be in the future. Across the globe, more and more libraries are opening their doors and adapting their services to meet the needs of these populations. The IFLA Guidelines for Libraries Supporting Displaced Persons are a clear reflection of this growing movement. We believe the time has come to move beyond isolated services and ensure that library efforts are strategically embedded in local and regional integration policies. Drawing on the experience of the LiBri - "Library Bridges: Promoting the integration and inclusion of third country nationals in Europe through libraries and local partnerships" project, a European initiative involving over 50 public libraries in France, Italy, Latvia, Poland, and Romania and seven national and international NGOs that support library and community development, this 20 minute session will share concrete lessons on developing partnerships between libraries, local authorities, NGOs, and migrant-led organizations to build stronger, more inclusive communities.