Public libraries: A meeting place for immigrant women?

The potential role of the public library in the lives of immigrant women is elicited by in-depth interviews with nine female immigrants to Norway from Iran, Afghanistan, and Kurdistan. The research utilizes social capital theory, the concepts of communities of practice and legitimate peripheral participation, as well as the concepts of high intensive versus low intensive meeting places. The results indicate that the library plays different roles in the different stages in the respondents' experiences as immigrants. It allows for legitimate peripheral participation when the immigrants move from observing at a distance to more active participation. The library functions as a high intensive as well as a low intensive meeting place and seems to contribute to building social capital in a variety of ways.

Research highlights► The study explores the role of public libraries in the lives of immigrant women. ► The library offers bridges to the culture of the new country and to the culture of origin. ► The library encourages moving from passive observation to active participation. ► The role of the library appears to develop throughout the careers of these women. ► The library builds trust across primary belongings, that is, bridging social capital.