At the Margins: Answering the Call of Newly Arrived Communities

Abstract

A multilingual, art-driven packet in development by NYPL.

There were more than 108 million forcibly displaced people worldwide at the end of last year. Among the numerous serious challenges they have faced is the interruption to ongoing education that such displacement entails.

Now more than ever, public librarians have a crucial role in ensuring that learning happens everywhere. We must be prepared to provide quality, holistic learning experiences for every learner within increasingly diverse settings. Amid teacher shortages, the disruptive effects of the pandemic and the climate crisis on formal education, refugees, asylum seekers, and other historically and systemically marginalized communities—all face limited access to quality education. With the wide range of services and the welcoming community spaces offered, libraries are well positioned to meet the social, emotional, and educational needs of these communities.