Abstract
To assist the Province of Nova Scotia (NS) in facilitating immigrant integration into Canadian society and the NS Library network in improving services to immigrants, this study seeks to investigate the opportunities for expanding NS library services by offering services to immigrants through online delivery. This research focusses on NS libraries’ development of services for immigrant integration through the use of internet because studies consider the internet one of the most used and useful tools for immigrant integration. This dissertation met its research aims through an extensive study of relevant literature and the implementation of practical research. The latter was carried out through exploratory research using a questionnaire gathering data from NS immigrants (sixty five respondents) and an experts’ survey with NS library management (three respondents). This research produced a number of key findings: the survey confirms that many immigrants in NS use the internet for easier integration; immigrants see the library as a welcoming place in the community; NS libraries are suitable locations for providing immigrant integration services delivered online; community needs assessments are important for the development of library services; the best framework for the delivery of immigrant services online in the libraries is a partnership between immigrant service providers, immigrants and the library. The main conclusion drawn is that there are further opportunities for NS libraries to offer programs to immigrants delivered through the internet. This researcher recommends that the library continue to explore this opportunity through more focussed studies and the implementation of a three-way partnership framework.
Keywords: immigrants, integration, internet, library, online service delivery
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Nick Kasteljanov, MBA, CSA, ITMC
