New to Canada

Quite often a person will walk in the library for the first time and would like to register for a free library card just a few days after arriving in Canada. I have seen that indeed Toronto Public Library is one of the first places newcomers visit on their settlement journey in our city.

CELEBRATING ONTARIO LIBRARIES AND CANADIAN CITIZENSHIP TOGETHER!

This week – October 15-21, 2012 – we have two wonderful reasons to celebrate Ontario Libraries and Canadian Citizenship!

1. Ontario celebrates Public Library Week with the theme "LIBRARIES CONNECT" – yes, libraries connect and play a valuable role in the life of Canadians. 

2. Canada celebrates Citizenship Week! Having our Canadian Citizenship connects us all to each other as people of a great free country.

Image above: "English Can Be Fun" summer program for newcomer children. [credit: TPL]

VISIT A SPECIAL LIBRARY EVENT THIS WEEK FOR CITIZENSHIP WEEK!

Toronto Public Library is joining the celebrations with many LSP Day events in the next ten days. What is LSP? Library Settlement Partnerships is a partnership of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, public libraries and local community agencies. Toronto Public Library partners with eight community agencies to provide settlement information and programs at 16 branch libraries.  

For more information on newcomer library services – read our earlier "New to Canada" posts:

• "Library Settlement Partnerships at Toronto Public Library", August 2012.

• "How Can the Library Serve Newcomers Better", September 2012.

• Or visit TPL's Welcome Webpage for Newcomers.

CITIZENSHIP JUDGE visits Toronto Reference Library, Friday, October 19, 1-2pm.

Tomorrow, Friday October 19, 2012, 1-2pm – our central Toronto Reference Library (789 Yonge Str., Yonge/Bloor subway) will host a "LSP Day and Citizenship Week" event – come hear our special guest speakers - the Canadian Citizenship Judge Aris Babikian and a newcomer speaker who works with the YMCA. Light reception will follow. All are welcome.  

To learn more about Canadian Citizenship Test preparation – read our earlies blog posts:

– "Canadian Citizenship Test preparation – @ your library”, April 2012.

• – "Canadian Citizenship Test: Personal Experiences and Practical Tips", Feb 2011.

Image above: Citizenship Ceremony held at Toronto Rerefence Library in October 2011 [credit: TPL].

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MY "PERSONAL CELEBRATION" of Libraries and Citizenship week:

As a librarian in many library branches of Toronto Public Library, I deeply appreciate my work with people who are new to Canada. Maybe because for me too the memories of being a newcomer are still fresh – I arrived eight years ago and had my Citizenship ceremony four years ago. I relate to the thrill, the exciting, the unknown, the long, but full-filling road of settlement. At the library I hear the immigrants'  stories and try to  help share resources, which will enable them to build their new life in Canada. I think people who immigrate to Canada and strive to become Canadian citizens are courageous, strong, passionate and committed.

While writing this blog post for the library's "New to Canada" blog – I counted all the library branches in Toronto that I have had a chance to work "on-call": so I counted 44 branches that I have visited to work, almost half of all of them. This has been my best lesson in getting to know the diverse people and communities of Toronto and I feel really blessed to be where I am. Thank you, Canada!

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What are your stories and values of becoming a Canadian citizen and feeling Canadian?  Please join us in this conversation and celebration! Happy Public Library Week, Ontarians. Happy Canadian Citizenship Week, Canada!