Discussion Forum # 3
LIBR 275 – Professor Liu
“Social Inclusion & Defining Immigrant Practices:
Information Service Providers Problem”
by Patricia Ayame Thomson
“Social Inclusion & Defining Immigrant Practices: Information Service Providers Problem”
I concur with Caidi and Allard’s (2005) notion as stated in their article titled “Social Inclusion of Newcomers to Canada: An information Problem” that “Assessing the contextual and situational factors constituting the information environment. . . that defines information practices of immigrants is therefore essential” (Library and Information Science Research, 27(3), p. 317). Research is necessary to study and understand immigrant group’s information-seeking behavior in relation to their “socioeconomic, linguistic, or cultural” characteristics (p. 317). The reason why further research and studies about immigrant group’s diverse information-seeking behavior are needed is because as information providers, we are better able to reach out and provide information and services necessary to target newcomers. Providing pertinent information to immigrants will facilitate their integration and inclusion in the new country.
The article goes on to point out that “Information provision is a key component of social inclusion” (Caidi & Allard, 2005, p. 314). Based on the previous statement, it follows to reason that social inclusion is an information problem. As libraries and frontline information providers, we have the ability to help future immigrants by making the difficult process of transitioning to a new country and culture as easy and effortless as possible, by providing the necessary information, skills, training, and other useful library services. For newcomers, having access to information and not having access could make all the difference in the world. For instance it states in the article, “When the information needs of newcomers relating to such services as settlement, housing, employment opportunities, health, or education are not easily met, then navigation through the system and inclusion into their new country may become a daunting and frustrating process” (p. 303).
I definitely agree with the article that concepts about social inclusion and exclusion are hard to define, articulate, and explain. From reading the article, my understanding is that social inclusion is each country’s attitude, approach, and strategy toward immigrants and other socially disadvantaged people; either to include newcomers into society as much as possible, or to treat them as marginalized citizens that don’t have much merit or anything worth offering. Social inclusion is a proactive stance that is not only tolerant and accepting of newcomers from diverse cultural groups, but actively celebrates, observes, studies diversity and incorporates their practices into the mainstream social milieu.
I believe social inclusion means including people defined as marginalized living on the fringes of society by believing that each person has something valuable to contribute. This delegitimizes the center-periphery theory of information seeking by including each person’s value, and as a result, makes its way towards rethinking information and social inclusion. On the other hand, social exclusion is about intentionally withholding information about their human rights that the marginalized population possesses in the name of increasing social development. This concept operates under the assumption that marginalized people don’t have much to offer or the inclination to participate as active citizens in society. On the contrary, it follows to reason that people who are treated well, feel welcomed, and included in the new country are more likely to become active and happy members of society.
In addition, there are various key barriers mentioned in the article that prevents people from coming to the library to seek information such as “institutional, environmental, perception” barriers (Caidi & Allard, 2005, p. 314). Other barriers include “isolation and inertia” in disadvantaged communities apply not only to immigrants, but the disadvantaged communities as well (p. 317). These barriers account for some of the reasons exclusion among immigrants and disadvantaged communities may occur.
Another important and helpful tool for immigrants is social networks. Networks and shared information with other immigrants is a useful and productive way of exchanging information. Word can also spread by word of mouth through friends. Libraries along with settlement and other social agencies serving recent immigrants can work together to help provide that network. Another idea I liked in the article is to offer ESL, citizenship, and other immigrant-related classes at community libraries.
Social inclusion starts with access to information, and libraries can take a significant role in facilitating information provision to immigrant communities. As another example, it states in the article that low-income families don’t necessarily associate libraries with a place to obtain information. Therefore, libraries should advertise and actively promote services they provide to immigrant and disadvantaged communities. This can be accomplished by further research and investigation on immigrants information seeking behavior, and develop a strategy based on the study’s results.
Resources
Caidi, N. & Allard, D, 2005. Social inclusion of newcomers to Canada: An information problem? Library & Information Science Research, 27(3), pp. 302 – 324.