Highland libraries respond to new Highlanders

Polish workers who have moved to the Highlands can now read a daily newspaper in their native language at Inverness Library.

The Highland Council has promptly responded to a request made at the recent population summit at Inverness by stocking the Polska Express in Inverness Library and many other newspapers are available online in all Highland Libraries via the free internet access. 

The Council has also published a bi-lingual leaflet advising Polish people of the benefits of joining the library and the free access to newspapers on line and fiction books in a number of languages, including Polish and Russian.

Convener of The Highland Council, Councillor Alison Magee today (Friday 23rd Jue, 2006) visited Inverness Library to launch the leaflet and meet representatives of the Polish community, who are benefiting from the iniatives of Highland Libraries.

Libraries in Highland are often the first port of call for new residents as they seek to make contact with their families back home. The arrival of the newspaper is in direct response to requests by Polish library users who want to keep abreast of events in their homeland.

Migrant workers using libraries in the Highlands already have access to the free internet and email facilities, but will now be able to enjoy a wide range of material, not only to learn English, but also to access material in their own language including online access to literally hundreds of world language newspapers .  A leaflet in five community languages (Polish, Russian, Bengali, Arabic and Chinese) is being developed, with Polish version being the first off the press.  The bilingual leaflets will give details of all the resources and facilities available to new Highlanders.

Highland Libraries consulted Polish and other Eastern European residents as a recent Open Evening held at Inverness Library to determine the kind of material they want to see in the libraries they use.  The materials have been displayed at a Cultural Diversity Conference held in Inverness, and at the Information Day recently held at the Town House, at which visitors were able to access information on a wide range of services available to them once they arrive in the Highlands.

Migrant workers can now access bilingual dictionaries and reading group books specifically for English language learners.  There are also collections of ‘Learn Together’ sacks in larger libraries which are designed to be shared by a parent and child. Many workers are now bringing over their families, and learning English together can be fun using the books contained in these bright red sacks. Libraries now offer dual language books for children so that they can maintain their language skills.  Audio cassettes and CDs are also available for those who want to learn English as a second language.  

Inverness Library holds collections of books in Polish, Russian, French and Spanish – these are proving very popular as many workers want to read books in their own language.  The titles are changed every four months, and can be sent to any library in the Highlands.

Councillor Magee said:  “I am very pleased that we have responded so promptly to the wishes of the Polish community who are living in the Highlands. This is just one of a number of initiatives we will be taking to welcome our new Highlanders.

“Our libraries are always seeking to offer new and innovative services to customers and the services is to be commended for offering such a wide range of facilities and resources to our newest residents.”

23 Jun 2006