The Skilled Immigrant InfoCentre: a specialized service in a public library

Every library is special. Some libraries offer specialized collections or serve a 'special' clientele while some libraries offer specialized services.

For many (many!) years the Vancouver Public Library (VPL) has offered subject specialized reference service the general public to the professional researchers.

Since the mid 1990s VPL has also provided a specialized service of job and career search skills. Funded by Service Canada, this service is designed to help people explore careers, learn about the labour market, and access resources that will help them find work. Building on this service and experience, on March 25, 2008 VPL launched a new service known as the Skilled Immigrant InfoCentre.

The Skilled Immigrant InfoCentre is a pilot project (until November 30, 2008). Funding for the Skilled Immigrant InfoCentre is provided by the Government of Canada's Foreign Credential Recognition Program in a partnership with the Government of British Columbia and through the Ministry of Economic Development. The news release is available at http://www.vpl.ca/news/details/skilled_immigrant_inforcentre_launch.

Project Manager

As the 'project manager' of the Skilled Immigrant InfoCentre my task is to take if from its "development phase" and to manage the day-to-day implementation and operation of the pilot project. My role involves everything from training staff, to building the collection, developing resources for the staff, outlining procedures, meeting with representatives from immigrant serving agencies and employment resource centres, contributing to the design of the InfoCentre Web presence, tracking statistics, reporting to the appropriate library and government bodies, working with the immigrants (some of which come to us feeling very frustrated in their search for work in their areas of expertise) and, to making sure the publicity material displays are full.

Levels of Interaction with Clients

The InfoCentre service is offered with two levels of interaction. When a person comes to the Central branch Level 4 Reference desk and self-identifies as a skilled immigrant we begin the first level of interaction by asking several questions to determine the kind of help we can offer. Some of these questions are not typically asked in a public library context. Patron privacy is usually a key concern in our context so it is unusual to ask questions like: how long have you been in Canada? What country are you from? What is your first language? What is your profession / skill? Are you currently employed in your field of expertise or at all? However, knowing the answers to these questions helps the library staff determine a client's eligibility for the service and, what resources we might have that would be useful. As a public library we help everyone but, those that fall within our mandate we are able to more comprehensively help.

Once we determine the client's skill or profession the information staff will either use a guide to employment (known as a "Pathfinder") or, refer the client to a second level of service which involves arranging an appointment for a one hour session with a librarian.

In many cases there is a Pathfinder prepared. There are currently twenty-five pathfinders covering careers from architect to several types of engineers, from computer programmers to physicians. More Pathfinders are in various stages of development. And, whenever three or more clients express an interest in a specific career (in which we do not yet have a Pathfinder) we can arrange for a new Pathfinder to be prepared.

If prepared materials are not available then, one of two things will happen. Depending on available time and staff the librarian may, "on the fly", pull together resources about the industry / career. Alternately, the client will be asked to return for a second level interaction: a one-hour, one-to-one appointment with a librarian. Appointments for one-to-one sessions are booked with a minimum 48 hour notice so the librarian can conduct sufficient research to provide the client with content similar to the Pathfinder.

In both levels of interaction the client will be encouraged to contact associations and regulatory bodies for credentialing, employment resource centres for help preparing a resume and cover letter, and/or to an immigrant serving agency for settlement issues.

First Three Months

In the first three months of the project we served 267 skilled immigrants from 53 different countries, 30 language groups (Albanian to Urdu) in 114 careers / job titles. In serving these clients we have provided resources and direction that will help with their search for work in their areas of expertise, education and experience. We do not promise to find people work but we are committed to helping skilled immigrants with the resources they need to successfully find work.

The VPL staff are not career counsellors however, they are able to help clients identify job descriptions, assess the labour market, identify where the jobs are located in the province, provide wage and salary ranges and, indicate whether there is a growing need for specific careers.

Why VPL?

VPL is often a 'first stop' for many people new to the city. Twenty-nine percent (29%) of the InfoCentre clients have been in Canada less than three (3) months, and 82% have been here three (3) years or less. Clients feel comfortable coming to the library because it is considered a 'safe' place; a non-government, non-commercial, institution that exists to provide information, in-person, free-of-charge, on a broad list of topics.

Offering the InfoCentre at VPL's Central Branch also means greater access to information and service than most other immigrant serving agencies. Matching Central's hours, the InfoCentre is open 65 hours a week.

What about the Future?

Overall the service has been very well received by the clients. They are often amazed at the resources available to them, and the depth of research that has been done to prepare the guides.

The Skilled Immigrant InfoCentre is a pilot project until November 30, 2008. However, we anticipate the pilot being extended until the end of March 2009. Will it continue beyond that? We hope it does because there are a large number of skilled immigrants in our communities that are underemployed, working in survival jobs and, can benefit from this specialized service offered through a public library.

Richard Matiachuk is a Librarian at the Skilled Immigrant InfoCentre at Vancouver Public Library and the Treasurer of the Western Canada Chapter of SLA.

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