Promoting cultural diversity in hybrid libraries among immigrant communities, Case: Library Ambassadors in Tampere, Finland

Abstract

Multilingual services and community-based approaches enabled by public libraries in Finland assist the integration of immigrants. In this thesis, the author evaluates a project in Tampere, the Library Ambassador program, where volunteers provide free services to newcomers, speaking multiple languages, to help them navigate the hybrid library services. Through the five dimensional model of confidence and self-esteem, trust and relationships, cultural integration and preservation, community awareness and engagement, and political integration, the study examines the role of ambassadors in culturally inclusive library practices using the five-dimensional framework developed by Grossman et al. (2021). Further, this study used a qualitative, interpretive approach to get insights into the experiences of the volunteers. The researcher interviewed seven language and cultural specific Library Ambassadors through semi-structured interviews to collect appropriate data. The data analysis was done through thematic analysis and it showed that ambassadors have a significant mediating effect on making new immigrants feel confident using library services, particularly overcoming language barriers and use of online systems. Ambassadors can help build trust by means of empathetic communication and shared migration or by means of culturally sensitive advice that will strengthen the idea of the library as a secure and friendly environment. The study concludes by finding that the Library Ambassador program enhances the ability of libraries to serve diverse populations. The recommendations are comprised with suggestions such as to add multilingual collections, provide more ambassador training and make more outreach to underrepresented groups. For future studies, it is necessary to include service users and library personnel, investigate long-term effects, and investigate the possible role of libraries in civic education.