Best Practices

Welcome To Your Library

Welcome To Your Library (WTYL) is a national project connecting public libraries with refugees and asylum seekers, funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation and co-ordinated through London Libraries Development Agency. By increasing opportunities for participation, WTYL aims to improve access to and the quality of public library services for everyone. WTYL project activities ended in November 2007. However, WTYL is a concept whose applicability will continue to exercise an influence on library service development. WTYL contributed highly relevant learning to public library service planning and delivery and provides good practice examples in relation to:

● Mapping need
● Developing project management skills
● Reaching refugee communities
● Building effective and sustainable partnerships
● Enhancing access
● Providing a range of effective projects that support community cohesion
● Enhancing non-project staff awareness of relevant issues.

This good practice is timely and relevant to the current challenges public libraries face in increasing access to services.On the webpage www.welcometoyourlibrary.org.uk you can find help how to get started, if you're working with refugees and asylum seekers in your area. The webpage also offers links to resources from around the web, identified during the Welcome To Your Library project as well as WTYL resources itself.

CONTACT:
John Vincent
Email: john@nadder.org.uk
Web: www.seapn.org.uk