Libraries and Sanctuary

John Vincent has worked in the public sector since the 1960s, primarily for Hertfordshire, Lambeth and Enfield public library services. In 1997, he was invited to become part of the team that produced the UK’s first review of public libraries and social exclusion (from which The Network, which he now coordinates, originated). John runs courses and lectures, writes, produces regular newsletters and ebulletins, and lobbies for greater awareness of the role that libraries, archives, museums, and the cultural and heritage sector play in contributing to social justice. He is particularly interested in supporting the work that libraries do with young people in care, with LGBTQ+ people, and with people seeking sanctuary and other ‘new arrivals’ to the UK.

• Introduction Definitions and scope of the book: when we talk about “refugees and other new arrivals”, who exactly do we mean?What has been the response in the UK?What does any of this have to do with libraries?Libraries’ responses in the UK – historical backgroundWhat barriers are there to the take-up of library services by new arrivals? And how can we begin to dismantle these?How are libraries responding today? And what more can we do? Some practical ideas …And what can we learn from elsewhere?ConclusionsAppendix 1: Main countries of origin of people seeking asylumAppendix 2: Immigration statusAppendix 3: A note on funding Appendix 4: A brief look at the supply of library materialsAppendix 5: Outline for a course, “Working with new arrivals”Appendix 6: Some sources of information about new arrivals locally and regionallyAppendix 7: Effective communicationsAppendix 8: Community cohesion

"The strength of this work stems from Vincent’s carefully developed case study narratives that situates those reading this work into grounded, real-world responses. From individual accounts of asylum, organizational responses, to wider policy documents, this book offers the reader a thoughtful exploration of previous action in a thematic way that builds up from the past, present and into future activities ... Vincent’s book has [power] as a conversation starter and foundational text to further continue moving the library and information sector to be a force of emancipation and social justice."— Journal of Librarianship and Information Science