Welcome to Our Friends from Syria
Welcome Ahlan wasahlan أهلا وسهلا Roj baş
A very warm welcome to our newest Torontonians soon to arrive from Syria. On behalf of all of us at Toronto Public Library, we look forward to meeting you and your family soon!
Toronto Public Library is a welcoming place in your neighbourhood that offers many services, resources, collections, and programs, all FREE.
Libraries can help you get settled:
- Meet with a settlement worker who can help you find a job, get a driver’s license and much more
- Attend classes to learn and practice English
- Download a range of electronic resources for adults and children including English as a Second Language materials
Libraries are a great place to visit to:
- Talk with library staff in 100 branches. We welcome your questions and look forward to assisting you. We have access to language interpreters.
- Get a library card. It’s free. All you need is 2 pieces of identification, one with your name and address
- Borrow books, movies, and more either in person at a branch or online. Library materials are available in 40 languages including Arabic and Kurdish. Most branches have an ESL collection.
- Meet new people and make new connections in your community
Libraries have many things that you can do:
- Come to our programs on a variety of topics, including how to start a small business, storytimes for children, and job search
- Use a computer with Internet access, word processing and many databases. Available at all 100 library branches.
- Connect to free wifi at all library branches
For more information about the Library and other City of Toronto services, please join us at the upcoming Information Fair for Sponsors of Syrian Refugees on the evening of December 8 at City Hall.
See you Soon! Narakom qareeban نراكم قريبا
14 thoughts on “Welcome to Our Friends from Syria”
I would heavily consider adding in a translate option for this page rather than just having a language other than English in the title and ending greeting.
This would have been a good place to explain the procedure for issuing library cards to refugees who by definition do not have the requisite two pieces of ID because *they’re refugees*.
The library has very little in the way of a Kurdish collection (178 pieces, almost all at Albert Campbell District). Arabic-language materials are about 15 times more common and are available in many branches. The problem for both languages, and for every language other than Chinese that isn’t written in Latin script, is that you must use Latin script to search for items. Fortunately, even the new catalogue, with its terrible search, is good at ignoring diacritics, so if you leave them out you can still search.
I believe we all agree here that any public library should be open to all visitors, from fêted refugees to unpreferred eldergays.
Thank you for your suggestion, David. I appreciate your feedback and made the change.
That’s very kind of you.
we are looking to seeing you very soon ,so our flight is on Thursday.today we were thinking about the library in Toronto when we returned the books we borrowed from a library in Beirut.Now we will have the best opportunity to have an access that will help us integrate to our new family new home.
Thanks to you all for accepting us in the big Canadian family.
Vanig Garabedian
Thank you for your kind message, Vanig. Our staff look forward to meeting you and your family soon.
Have a good flight! Elsa
Hi Elsa. If I’m not mistaken, David is referring to translations of the entire blog post, so that all users may have better access to your excellent information.
_________________________________
العربية
Arabic: https://goo.gl/z3kRey
հայերեն
Armenian: https://goo.gl/TcpE3R
Google doesn’t offer translations for Kurdish, unfortunately.
Thanks, Victoria. I appreciate your assistance. Elsa
Hi Vanig,
I see your message was written yesterday so you and your family are another day closer to your new life in Canada! I feel excited for you although I do not know you.
The Toronto Public Library is a valuable resource with many libraries thoughout the city. Besides reading materials, Internet access and computer tutorials, there are also free programs and workshops for adults and children on topics such as hobbies, health and wellness, technology, finances, etc.
Best wishes to you and your family (and others from Syria) as you start your life in Canada. WELCOME!
Sharon
The library also offers homework help and reading programs for kids in the summer. They also have a lot of stuff for kids to do during the school breaks. Libraries are a good place to meet people who live in your neighbourhood, too! Welcome to Canada, Vanig!
Please explain why “eldergays” are unpreferred in a library context.
This is excellent way to make refugees and even newcomers’ feel inclusive.Being in a foreign culture with no strings to grasp at, specially if you have a young family to care for, can be an overwhelming experience. Libraries as source connecting, people to communities, should be posted, & brochures given as a kit,right at the port of entry, or places where the refugees, are housed.same goes for our natives, I have as yet never seen any material, or lang.acknowledging, our first nation people!
Thank you, Hera for your support for Toronto Public Library’s resources and libraries in general.
I am happy to share that Toronto Public Library has the Native Peoples Collection at three branches: http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/books-video-music/specialized-collections/native-peoples.jsp
Toronto Public Library has been highlighting National Aboriginal History Month. Here are a few blog posts to share:
https://blogs.tpl.ca/kids-books/2015/06/celebrate-national-aboriginal-month-with-these-great-reads-for-kids.html
https://blogs.tpl.ca/news_releases/2014/05/in-concert-in-the-stacks-iskw%C3%A9-at-spadina-road-branch.html
https://blogs.tpl.ca/news_releases/2015/05/national-aboriginal-day-programming-to-feature-panel-on-canadas-missing-and-murdered-aboriginal-wome.html
Thanks, Elsa
I apologize for using the plural. There’s only one eldergay unpreferred by TPL management.
I guess there is some digital content in Arabic language available now , where library can have access to thousands of ebooks . I would love to see an online database in Arabic language available in the library for the arab community .