Library Resources for Our Friends From Syria
Toronto Public Library is excited to welcome our new friends from Syria. With a branch in every neighborhood, Toronto Public Library is here to help you settle into life in a new city.
We have Arabic collections at many branches, along with settlement services and friendly staff waiting to meet you and help you find what you are looking for. There are seven locations that carry Arabic collections. The largest Arabic collection is at the Toronto Reference Library. Other locations with Arabic are the Agincourt, Albion, Fairview, Don Mills, Maryvale and York Woods branches.
You’ll want to start by getting a library card. It’s free. All you need are two pieces of identification, one with your name and address. We want the library to be your home away from home, so please visit your local library branch to get a card and find out about the wonderful services and resources that the library has to offer.
Here are some great services you can access, for free, at the library:
- Use a computer with Internet access, word processing and many databases. Available at all library branches.
- Connect to free wifi at all library branches.
- Borrow books, movies, and more either in person at a library branch or online. Library materials are available in 40 languages including Arabic and Kurdish.
- 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 variety of electronic resources for adults and children including English as a Second Language materials.
- Come to our programs on a variety of topics, including how to start a small business, storytimes for children, and job searching.
- Connect with library staff. We welcome your questions and look forward to assisting you. We have access to language interpreters.
We welcome you to Toronto! For further information on Newcomer Services in Toronto, the City of Toronto has prepared an informative brochure in English and Arabic. The Toronto Newcomer Office is working on having the brochure translated into additional languages.
City Services for Newcomers in English
City Services for Newcomers in Arabic
To borrow materials from the library, all you need to do is sign up for your free library card. Here are instructions on how to get a library card in Arabic.
Come and enjoy the many different resources Toronto Public Library has in your language.
مرحبا بكم في اللغة العربية في المكتبة الخاصة بك!
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4 thoughts on “Library Resources for Our Friends From Syria”
Hi Folks
I’m a volunteer with the Toronto Bruce Trail Club.Club members enjoy volunteering to maintain and promote The Bruce Trail but when we’re done I like to think we have a great time walking and hiking Canada’s longest and oldest footpath built for The Public.
As such the club offers a number of bus, car and urban outings to
The Bruce Trail and others year around lead by certified, first-aid trained hike leaders. Check out the website at http://www.torontobrucetrailclub.org for more info and a list of hikes.
Just wondering if you have a contact with the Syrian commnumity who might be interested in joining us, perhaps on a sponsored bus hike which we could hopefully arrange.
Please pass this on if you can help putting us in contact with someone who might be interested.
A bit early yet as they are all getting settled in but I’m thinking ahead to spring (are we not all?)
Thanks
Grant Leigh
416-621-6097
Hi Grant,
This sounds like a wonderful opportunity for newcomers. This link to Toronto’s Refugee Resettlement Program Resources might be a good place to start for contacts: http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=93614790451a1510VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&WT.rd_id=refugees
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with your club’s events!
The library has not explained how unilingual-Arabic-speaking refugees:
¶ can search the online catalogue for Arabic titles given that one must use Latin script and indeed have computer knowledge
¶ can communicate their request for a library card
¶ will have the requisite identification (because, by definition, *they’re refugees*)
I don’t expect the problem of library cards for new arrivals to be solved overnight. (I do expect it to be solved once and for all this year.) But library blogs should not pretend what we’re talking about is a really straightforward process that any refugee can easily comply with.
Thank you for sharing this information. I have shared it with a private Facebook group for Syrian newcomers who are starting to become established. It would be wonderful to have at least the key information translated into Arabic.
Thank you <3