by Cyndi Sweeney 译/刘佳宁
Heather MacKenzie highlights some of the current Chinese magazines available in the foreign language section at Alderney Gate Public Library in Dartmouth. Photo: Cyndi Sweeney
MacKenzie女士在Alderney Gate分馆展示馆中收藏的中文读物。
当Heather MacKenzie 女士读起一封信时，她的脸上洋溢起灿烂的笑容。MacKenzie 女士是Halifax市公共图书馆多元文化部经理，主要负责移民服务项目。她读的是一封由12位阿拉伯女学员联合签名的感谢信，感谢她本人和移民服务项目改变了她们的生活。
MacKenzie女士负责的移民服务项目中提供一系列由阿拉伯语教学的计算机课程。这12位阿拉伯女学员是这个课程开展时期的第一批学员。信中，她们表示，这个课程和其他服务项目不仅让自己获取知识，也让其他新移民有机会 “独立，提高英语，建立新友谊，与当地社区和海外亲人保持紧密联系，同时节省经济支出” 。
“伸出援手和倾听大家的需要让我们收获了很多。” MacKenzie女士在图书馆工作30年了。她于2012年开始在Keshen Goodman分馆做馆长，并开始注重服务移民社区这一领域。在此之前，早在1998年英语学习项目启动的时候，市图书馆就已经开始关注移民社区服务项目了。到今天，服务项目种类已由单纯的语言培训发展到更深入、更细微的层次。
“移民服务是图书馆最新且发展最快的项目，” MacKenzie解释道。2006年人口普查显示，6500移民居住在图书馆附近。她相信这个数字一直在稳步增长。
MacKenzie还介绍，通过移民局的拨款，她为分馆聘请了三名移民职工，他们分别来自阿拉伯，中国和波斯，也是当地非英语国家移民人口最多的三个国家。MacKenzie认为，聘请双语员工为图书馆在移民社区心中树立尊重和信任，有助于与他们合作。
图书馆移民服务助理陈女士介绍说，来图书馆注册的新移民数量每天都在增加。她说：“图书馆不仅仅是一个读书和学习的地方，更是融入社区生活的地方。这里像是一个社区中心。”
移民服务项目由2012年11月在Keshen Goodman分馆推出，着重介绍实施以下几个项目：
免费多语种计算机课程
由阿拉伯语，波斯语，尼泊尔和中文普通话四语授课；内容包括计算机基础知识，网络求职和简历撰写。陈女士进一步介绍道：“母语学习计算机知识会更容易。我们希望可以帮助他们提高就业能力和业务技能。”
女性交流小组
“女性时常被孤立……她们往往因为没有工作而没有社交圈，或者没有机会与男性一样获得教育……种种原因促使她们成为家里语言能力最薄弱，”MacKenzie介绍说。
女性交流小组作为当地女性和移民女性的桥梁，鼓励大家针对感兴趣的话题进行交流。陈女士表示，目前交流小组已有30多个来自不同国家的新移民报名参与。
手工编织小组
由本地和移民女性组成的手工编织小组，为IWK儿童医院编织婴儿帽和毯子，为新移民制作洗碗布。“通过共同的兴趣爱好，她们可以开始交流、建立友谊，” MacKenzie说。
报税培训课程
2014年将继续实施收入所得税培训课程。这个多语言的培训课主要针对来自中国等不同国家的家庭，帮助新移民掌握报税流程，轻松报税。
MacKenzie表示希望将这一系列的项目在其他分馆推广执行。他们也已经和当地的几所大学建立了合作关系，向没有资格在政府部门申请资助的学生和难民提供语言辅导课程。
看到移民服务项目在短短一年内已经取得飞跃的进展，MacKenzie对项目发展的未来充满信心。她说：“之前取得的成绩对我们今后的工作将是一个挑战。这些项目已经深受大家好评，而我们需要更好地管理、开拓，避免今后停止进步或者供不应求。”
她最后说：“通过我们的工作帮助多元社区，这是一项很有意义的工作。“
获取更多图书馆新移民服务信息，请访问www.halifaxpubliclibraries.ca。(完）
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Heather MacKenzie beams, reading a letter highlighting the great work being served by the Immigrant Services Project at Halifax Public Libraries.
The letter is an emotional thank you to MacKenzie, Manager for Diversity and Accessibility at Halifax Public Libraries and is personally signed by 12 Arabic women who enrolled in the library’s first computer course conducted entirely in Arabic.
The women were grateful, not only for the introduction to much needed computer skills, but grateful for what the course symbolized:
Independence, improved English, connection to local community and families abroad, birth of new friendships and financial savings on keeping in touch with overseas relatives.
“Reaching out and listening has enabled us to do some pretty amazing things,” says MacKenzie, a 30 year veteran with the libraries. She’s began working closely with immigrant communities in 2012, in her role as Branch Manager at Keshen Goodman Library. However, the libraries first began reaching out to newcomers in 1998 when the English Language and Learning (ELL) program first launched. Since then, it’s evolved from basic language classes to an array of programs designed to help immigrants integrate and flourish.
“Immigrant Services is the newest and fastest growing program at the library,” MacKenzie explains. Census 2006 found there were 6,500 immigrants living in the library’s catchment area and MacKenzie is confident the number has grown steadily.
MacKenzie says, through Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) funding, she was able to hire three full time staff representing thearea’s largest populations of non-English speaking newcomers: Arabic, Chinese and Persian (Farsi). She says the bilingual staff “brought respect and trust into the library, which helped welcome immigrants to work with us.”
Immigrant Services Library Assistant, Youmei Chen says there are more and more newcomers registering everyday. “The library is not just a place to study and a place for books. It’s a place to meet Canadians, a place to integrate into the community,” says Chen. “The library is like a community centre.”
Immigrant Services Project launched in November 2012 and addresses the top priorities of the community:
Free Multilingual Computer Classes
The library offers computer classes in Arabic, Persian, Nepali and Chinese-Mandarin. Classes include computer basics to internet job searching and resume writing.
“It’s easier to learn the computer in your own language and then translate it,” says Chen. “We want to help increase their employability and their business skills,” says Chen.
Women’s Conversation Group
“Women are often isolated…because they’re at home or they haven’t had the same educational opportunities…as other people in their families, so they often have lower language skills,” says MacKenzie.
The Women in Conversation group connects Canadian women with immigrant women, inspiring conversations around topics of interest. Chen says there are more than 30 newcomers enrolled, representing a wide variety of ages and ethnicity.
Fireside Knitters
An international mix of Canadian and immigrant women, this crafty group has provided baby hats and blankets for the IWK, dish cloths to newcomers and “generated conversation and friendships around the common interest of knitting,” says MacKenzie.
Chinese Income Tax Clinic
Another popular program the library plans to continue in 2014 is the multi-lingual income tax clinics for the Chinese community and other immigrant families. This clinic aims to simplify the process, helping newcomers file their taxes with ease.
Mackenzie says she hopes to expand these programs to other branches and has already formed partnerships with local university students to provide language tutorials to refugees who aren’t eligible for government funded programs.
She’s energized by how far they’ve come in a year, but says they always need to be looking forward. “Our challenges are really the problems of success…because we’ve been so well received; it’s being able to manage future demands and being able to serve.”
“It’s very rewarding…connecting with all the diverse communities we’re serving through the library,” says MacKenzie.
See www.halifaxpubliclibraries.ca for more newcomer information.