In the face of the largest global refugee crisis since the second world war, library support to displaced persons is one of the most vital things that we as library community can provide right now. Libraries play a crucial role as trusted community spaces and welcoming sanctuaries for all, regardless of their displacement, limbo state, or any kind of intersectional vulnerability they may face at the same time, like gender identity, childhood, third age, or disability. With this work libraries contribute to the two-way integration process: they empower displaced individuals to integrate into the host communities, helping them recover from their traumas, while they also allow both displaced and host communities to learn from each other and appreciate the cultural diversity. The first-ever IFLA guidelines for libraries supporting displaced populations aim to serve as a vehicle to expand the traditional role of librarianship, entering a new learning space for libraries.
The Equitable and Accessible Library Services Section (EALS) of the International Federation of Libraries and Institutions (IFLA) is pleased to announce the publication of "IFLA Guidelines for Libraries Supporting Displaced Persons: Refugees | Migrants | Immigrants | Asylum seekers" written by Despina Gerasimidou and co-edited by Nancy Bolt, Maela Rakočević Uvodić, Anne Siebens, and Okerson, A.
The full document is available on the IFLA repository: https://repository.ifla.org/items/7ce3fe3e-ce77-4dcb-9912-2e7d2dfcaab5
Janet Lee
Secretary, IFLA EALS (Equitable and Accessible Library Services Section)
Co-chair, Denver Sister Cities Axum, Ethiopia Committee
Dean Emerita, Regis University Library, Denver, CO
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Janet Lee
Dean Emerita
Regis University Dayton Memorial Library
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