Welcoming Refugees as New Professionals: The Livr’Exil project

Abstract

In France, the 2010s saw a growing number of migrants using libraries, and the profession responded with awareness raising efforts and dedicated services. However, migrants were always seen as users, never as potential professionals.

A group of colleagues noticed that migrants in France are typically pushed into low-skilled jobs, regardless of their background, and created **Livr'Exil** to address this. The project supports migrants who worked in the book and information sector in their home countries - journalists, booksellers, librarians, writers—so they can find similar employment in France. Key obstacles included legal work restrictions, the civil-servant status of most librarians (reserved for EU citizens), the profession's France-centered culture, and employment agencies' assumption that library jobs were inaccessible to migrants.

Livr'Exil built on the Association des bibliothécaires de France's certified training program, which is open to all nationalities and combines weekly classes with practical library work over one year, leading to a recognized professional qualification. The team also ran outreach to NGOs and library visits for candidates, and provided pedagogical support for non-native French speakers.

Interestingly, hosting foreign trainees revealed how much "shared" professional knowledge actually assumes a French upbringing, prompting deeper reflection on librarians' professional identity.