More than a place for social capital creation: Public library as a place for immigrants’ social integration

Abstract

Studies have shown that public libraries, one of the most trusted social institutions, play an important role in helping immigrants adjust to their host country. Although there have been quite a few international studies reporting the role that public libraries play in newcomers lives in the host country, few studies, especially in the context of the U.S., comprehensively reported local public libraries’ role in newcomers’ social integration. Previous studies on immigrants’ usage of public libraries have mainly focused on highlighting public libraries as meeting places that facilitate social capital creation for newcomers or describing the usage of public libraries among newcomer populations. Using a qualitative research design, 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted with Bangladeshi immigrants living in Queens, New York. The study finds that the Queens Public Library (QPL), one of the largest public library systems in the U.S., played an important role in many Bangladeshi immigrants and their families’ social integration into New York after arrival. The library space serves more than a meeting place or a place for social capital creation. The findings suggest that local public libraries serve as important places for newcomers’ social integration by offering a range of services and programs that meet the diverse needs of immigrants after their arrival, including educational, employment, technological, and reading. Bangladeshi immigrants also reported using public library spaces to cope with migration-related stress for themselves and their families.

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