An American Future: Service Opportunities for Immigrant Youth

About the Program

Category: Libraries (Best in Category)

Year: 2011

An American Future Library Service Opportunities for Immigrant Youth developed form an informal partnership between Fairfax County Public Library and Liberty’s Promise, a local nonprofit organization that introduces young immigrants who are legally able to work in the U.S. to the American workplace. Originally, Liberty’s Promise approached FCPL about creating internships for its young immigrant clients in library branches through the organization’s Opportunities Plus program. Over a two-year period, Liberty’s Promise placed nine Opportunities Plus youth from eight different countries in various FCPL branches. The informal partnership was so successful – close to half of the interns were offered continuing positions in the library and two actually joined the library staff – that FCPL applied for a grant to expand the program through the Laura Bush 21st Century Library Program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. In 2008, IMLS awarded a $265,258 grant to FCPL to introduce young immigrants to the public library as a possible career path and a resource in their community. When the three-year grant ends in 2011, 90 immigrant youth from more than 20 countries will have participated in the program. An American Future has helped young immigrants not only learn about careers in libraries, but about the library itself. The project is helping FCPL to expand its reach in the immigrant communities it serves and to attract a more diverse workforce.