The Role of Libraries in Supporting Access to Higher Education for Refugees and Asylum Seekers[TG2/Access]

This event will provide information and good practice guidance on how libraries can support students and members of their local community who are refugees, asylum seekers, or ‘new arrivals’ (people who cross borders to reach a country).

The session will begin with a presentation from John Vincent, outlining the wider context and reasons for migration, the barriers new arrivals face in getting to and into the UK, and some of the potential barriers refugee students face accessing education and using libraries.

This talk will be followed by librarians from Cardiff, Lancaster, Cumbria and Reading universities describing initiatives at their universities and how the library is involved in supporting new arrivals.

There will be time for general discussion and questions at the end.

Attendees will also receive a document with further guidance at the end of the session.

Programme:

10am         John Vincent – ‘Working with new arrivals’

10.45am   Sara Huws (Cardiff)

11am         Bob Frost and James Stephens – ‘Empowering Communities Through ESOL resources’

11.15am     Natasha Kennedy – ‘Supporting the continuation of education for asylum seekers and refugees at the University  of Reading Library’

11.35          General discussion & Questions

12:00pm   End

Speakers:

John Vincent has worked in the public sector since the 1960s, primarily for Hertfordshire, Lambeth and Enfield public library services. In 1997, he was invited to become part of the team that produced the UK’s first review of public libraries and social exclusion (from which The Network, which he now coordinates, originated). 

John runs courses and lectures, writes, produces regular newsletters and ebulletins, and lobbies for greater awareness of the role that libraries, archives, museums, and the cultural & heritage sector play in contributing to social justice. 

He is particularly interested in supporting the work that libraries do with young people in care, with LGBTQ+ people, and with people seeking sanctuary and other ‘new arrivals’ to the UK.  

John is also currently the Chair of the CILIP Benevolent Fund. 

In Oct 2021, City of Sanctuary published a second edition of his guide, Libraries of Sanctuary resource pack; and, in Nov 2022, Facet Publishing published Libraries and sanctuary: supporting refugees and other new arrivals. He is currently about to complete another book for Facet Publishing, this time on libraries’ responses to young people in care. 

In 2014, John was given a CILIP CDEG Special Diversity Award, and, in September 2014, he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of CILIP. 

Bob Frost – Faculty Librarian for Science & Technology (& Partner Institutions) – Lancaster University. I have worked in HE Libraries for the last 20 years in a variety of roles: stock management, document delivery, digitisation, archives, procurement, cataloguing, team management, subject liaison and community engagement.

I currently support staff/students in the Faculty of Science & Technology at Lancaster and also support our partner institutions. In addition I lead on our library support for the local refugee/asylum seeker community.

James Stephens – Head of Library Services and University Librarian – University of Cumbria. I am the Head of Library Services and University Librarian at the University of Cumbria with over twenty-one years of experience in academic librarianship, management, and leadership. I am motivated by enabling access to scholarly information and empowering students to develop the skills and confidence they need to succeed in academic and work-based contexts.

Natasha Kennedy has been the Library Experience and Engagement Manager at the University of Reading since September 2023 and is responsible for the delivery, management and development of a high quality, responsive and customer-focused library service that meets the needs of all its users, both within the University community and the local community.

In her previous role, Natasha was the Reader Services Librarian of the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, where she had oversight of the day-to-day operations of the Library, taught on the Bodleian Libraries Graduate Library Trainee scheme, supported the teaching and learning needs of staff and students of the MSc in Digital Scholarship, and acted as a mentor for students interested in a career in Librarianship and Information Management.

Natasha embeds UX (user experience) methods and approaches in the design of library services to better improve the library experience for all users, and is always keen to collaborate to ensure user needs are met.

Information for joining:

• This session is virtual and will run via Zoom. Once your booking has been confirmed, joining instructions will be emailed the day before the event.
• Electronic CPD attendance certificates can be provided on request. Please request via cpd25@london.ac.uk

Cost
£25.00 members
£50.00 for non-member institutions.

Electronic CPD attendance certificates can be provided on request. Please request via cpd25@london.ac.uk

Cancellations less than one week before the event will be charged a 50% cancellation fee. In the event of a ‘no-show’ on the day, the full fee will be charged.

To book a place, please use our online booking form. Please remembe to include your purchase order number if needed.