Multicultural Service Goals
Half of Toronto's population was born outside Canada. Forty-seven percent of the population have a mother tongue in a language other than English or French. Toronto Public Library recognizes and welcomes our responsibility to develop and provide services for newcomers and people with diverse cultural backgrounds.
The library's goals include:
- Provision of collections, programs and services for our diverse communities to promote reading, literacy and learning
- Expanded access to settlement information to meet the needs of newcomers
- Increased access to services and programs in languages other than English, in print and electronic format
- Improved access to Canadian accreditation information, career planning and other job-related materials
- Promotion of volunteer opportunities at the Library to help newcomers gain Canadian experience
- Offering cultural programs that celebrate and promote the diversity of Toronto
- Introduction of the library and its services to immigrant and newcomer communities through enhanced outreach programs and promotional activities
- Provision of English as a Second Language (ESL) collections and programs
- Development and expansion of partnerships with the immigrant settlement services of the city of Toronto
- Expanded access to electronic information resources that are of interest to the city's diverse population
- Encouraging the use of library computers and the Internet through public training programs
- Developing comprehensive staff training and development programs that help staff better serve immigrant and newcomer communities
