Public Library Services for Immigrants in the United States: Then and Now

Yeo-Joo Lim (임여주)

doi:10.3743/KOSIM.2009.26.2.007

Public Library Services for Immigrants in the United States: Then and Now

Journal of the Korean Society for Information Management
Abbr : JKOSIM
2009, 26(2), pp.7~25
DOI : 10.3743/KOSIM.2009.26.2.007
Publisher : 한국정보관리학회
Research Area : Interdisciplinary Studies > Library and Information Science
Received : May 5, 2009
Accepted : May 20, 2009
Published : June 30, 2009

Yeo-Joo Lim ¹

¹University of iilinois

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This study examines and compares public library services for immigrants in the U.S. in the early 1900s and nowadays. U.S. public libraries in the early 1900s supported the Americanizing movement by opening English language classes and providing information that is essential for U.S. citizenship. Public librarians also recognized the importance of foreign language materials; by providing foreign language materials and developing diverse services to reach immigrants, public libraries eventually hastened assimilation processes. Despite a gap of one hundred years, the situation today is not very different. Public libraries still try hard to serve their ethnic patrons with extensive foreign- language collections and culturally diverse library programs, while still emphasizing English language education.

KEYWORDS

public libraries, services for immigrants, foreign language materials, Americanization, multiculturalism, library outreach services, multicultural services

Journal Copyright Policy

This license enables reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only if attribution is given to the creator.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2025 are currently being built.

[journal] ALA / 2008a / ALA Unveils Study on Library Service to New Americans / American Libraries 39(5) : 12~

[web] ALA / Serving Non-English Speakers in U.S. Public Libraries: 2007 Analysis of Library Demographics, Services and Programs / http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/olos/nonenglishspeakers/index.cfm

[book] Americanization / 2001 / In the Oxford Companion to United State History / Oxford Uni-versity Press

[journal] Berry, J. N / 1999 / Culturally Competent Service / Library Journal 124(14) : 112~

[confproc] Chu, Clara M / 1999 / Immigrant Children Mediators (ICM): Bridging the Literacy Gap in Immigrant Communities / Conference Proceeding of the 65th Annual Conference of the International Federation of Library Association : 20~28

[journal] Cichanowicz, E. M / 2004 / Planning for Multilingual Chat Reference Service in a Suburban Public Library System / The Reference Librarian 85 : 115~126

[journal] Crane, Frank / 1920 / The Ten Points of Americanism / The Library Journal 45 : 214~215

[journal] Editorial / 1920 / The Immigrant Publication Society / The Library Journal 45 : 213~214

[other] Editorial / 1894 / The Library Journal / 19: 328

[book] Fain, E / 1925 / Books for New Citizens: Public Libraries and Americanization Programs, 1900-1925 in The Quest for Social Justice / The University of Wisconsin Press : 255~276

[other] Fitzgibbons, S. A / 2000 / School and Public Library Relationships: Essential Ingredients in Implementing Educational Reforms and Improving Student Learning / School Library Media Research : 3~

[report] Gibson, Campbell / 2000 / Historical Census Statistics on the Foreign-Born Population of the United States: 1850- 2000 / Population Division

[journal] Hall, T. D / 2006 / Diversity, Recruitment, and Retention: Going from Lip Service to Foot Patrol / Public Libraries 45(1) : 39~46

[journal] Harris, M / 1973a / The Purpose of the American Public Library: A Revisionist Interpretation of History / Library Journal 98 : 2512~2513

[book] Harris, M / 1973b / The Purpose of the American Public Library in Historical Perspective: A Revisionist Interpretation / ERIC Clearing- house on Library and Information Sciences

[book] Hughes, J. W / 1999 / America’s Demographic Tapestry: Baseline for the New Millennium / Rutgers University Press

[journal] Jenkins, Christine A / 2000 / The History of Youth Services Librarianship: A Review of the Research Literature / Libraries & Culture 35(1) : 103~140

[book] Jones, Plummer A / 1999 / Libraries, Immigrants, and the American Experience / Greenwood Press

[book] Jones, Plummer A / 2004 / Still Struggling for Equality / Libraries Unlimited

[journal] Josephson, Askel G. S / 1894 / Foreign Books in American Libraries / The Library Journal 19 : 364~

[journal] Kim, K-S / 2006 / Recruiting and Retaining Students of Color in LIS Programs: Perspective / Journal of Education for Library and Information Science 47(2) : 81~95

[journal] Kudlicka, Josepha / 1910 / Library Work among Foreigners / Public Libraries 15 : 375~376

[book] Lai, E / 2003 / The New Face of Asian Pacific America: Numbers, Diversity & Change in the 21st Century / AsianWeek, with UCLA Asian American Studies Center Press

[other] Larsen, Luke J / 2003 / The Foreign-Born Population in the United States: 2003 / Current Population Reports : 20~551

[book] Learned W. S / 1924 / The American Public Library and the Diffusion of Knowledge / Brace and Company

[journal] Lupien, P / 2004 / Bilingual Virtual Reference / Computers in Libraries 24(5) : 6~56

[journal] Pokorny, R. E / 2003 / Library Services to Immi- grants and Non-Native Speakers of English: From Our Past to Our Present / Bookmobile and Outreach Services 6(2) : 21~34

[web] QBPL / Queens Library Facts / http://www.queenslibrary.org/UserFiles/File/MCD/35240508_singlepages.pdf

[journal] Randall, W. M / 1931 / What can the Foreigner Find to Read in the Public Library? / Library Quarterly 1 : 79~88

[journal] Roberts, Flora B / 1912 / The Library and the Foreign Citizen / Public Libraries 17 : 166~169

[journal] Rogers, M / 2003 / Serving up World Languages / Library Journal 128(11) : 42~44

[web] Saye, J. D / ALISE: Library and Information Science Education Statistical Report 2003 – Students / http://ils.unc.edu/ALISE/2003/Students/Students01.htm

[journal] Stern, Stephen / 1991 / Ethnic Libraries and Librarianship in the United States: Models and Prospects / Advances in Librarianship 15 : 77~102

[journal] Strong, Gary E / 2000 / LinQing the World to Queens – and Queens to the World / American Libraries 31(9) : 44~46

[book] Sung, Betty Lee / 1987 / The Adjustment Experience of Chinese Immigrant Children in New York City / Center for Migration Studies

[other] U.S. Census Bureau / 2002 / Coming to America: A Profile of the Nation’s Foreign Born (2000 Update) / U.S. Department of Commerce

[book] Virgilio, D / 2004 / InfoBUS: Serving Immigrant and Refugee Populations in From Outreach To Equity / Library Association

[journal] Wendel, F. C. H / 1911 / The Stranger Within Our Gates: What Can the Library Do for Him? / Public Libraries 19(3) : 89~92

[confproc] Yust, William F / 1913 / What of the Black and Yellow Races? / Proceedings from the Conference of the American Library Association

[book] Zhang, X / 2001 / The Practice and Politics of Public Library Services to Asian Immigrants in Immigrant Politics and the Public Library / Green-wood Press

KJCKorea
Journal Central

Journal of the Korean Society for Information Management 2025 KCI Impact Factor : 1.27

Public Library Services for Immigrants in the United States: Then and Now

ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS

Journal Copyright Policy

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2025 are currently being built.

Journal of the Korean Society for Information Management 2025 KCI Impact Factor : 1.27

Public Library Services for Immigrants in the United States: Then and Now

ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS

Journal Copyright Policy

Statistics

Tools

Issue List

Citation status

KCI Citation Counts (4)

REFERENCES (40) * References for papers published after 2025 are currently being built.

Search PDF

Citation

* References for papers published after 2025 are currently being built.