Congratulations goes out to the Hartford Public Library, recipient of a National Leadership grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Titled "Building Relationships and Bridging Social Capital: An Inclusive Approach to Immigrant Civic Engagement within," the library will partner with Catholic Charities Migration and Refugee Resettlement Services, the City of Hartford’s Office of Human Relations, Everyday Democracy, and the University of Connecticut’s School of Social Work to promote immigrant civic engagement. Focusing on legal permanent residents within Hartford’s immigrant community, the library and its partners will train a core group of volunteer immigrants who will help other newly arrived immigrants in tasks such as accessing community services. To further encourage civic participation, the city and the library will establish a broadly represented library-based Advisory Council on Inclusivity. With the library as the catalyst, this integration model will transcend the existing naturalization process to give immigrants a specific sense of belonging in America, and experience as active community participants and future civic-minded individuals. A project Web portal and other materials will offer other libraries guidance on establishing similar programs in their communities.
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