Libraries Respond: Immigrants, Refugees, and Asylum Seekers

This list of resources was created in response to legislative changes that have introduced uncertainty regarding their impact--who they affect, when they take effect, and how they will influence library operations and services. These developments have also sparked important conversations among library professionals about how to best serve both staff and the communities they support. Below is a curated list of resources to help libraries and their staff effectively serve immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.

Libraries Respond Logo

Definitions

Report Incidents Against Immigrants in your library

Welcoming and Programming Support

Books

Organizations

Staff Support

ALA Resources

ALA Resolutions

Other

Keep Up to Date

Definitions

  • Asylee - An non-citizen in the United States or at a port of entry who is unable or unwilling to return to his or her country of nationality, or to seek the protection of that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution. Persecution or the fear thereof must be based on religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion.
  • Immigrant - Any person lawfully in the United States who is not a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or person admitted under a nonimmigrant category as defined by the Immigration and Nationality Act.
  • Naturalization - The manner in which a person not born in the United States voluntarily becomes a U.S. citizen.
  • Refugee - Generally, any person outside his or her country of nationality who is unable or unwilling to return to that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based on the person’s race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.
  • Stateless - A stateless person is generally not considered a national by any state under the operation of its laws. In simple terms, this means that a stateless person does not have a nationality of any country.
  • US Citizenship - A person who was born in the United States or born abroad to US citizens. A person may also become a US citizen through naturalization.

Additional definitions that may be useful can be found at the USCIS Glossary. 

Report incidents against immigrants 

Has there been an incident related to immigrant visitors, library workers, or volunteers at your library? Complete the Incidents Against Immigrants in Libraries Reporting Form to help SRIDP develop the resources to better understand and redress the challenges impacting the immigrant communities we serve by libraries and related information institutions.

Welcoming and programming support

Books

Organizations

Staff support

ALA resources

ALA resolutions

Other

Keep up to date on Libraries' Response to challenges in serving immigrants and refugees

Specific news articles