Factors in success or failure of foreign-trained librarians in Canada

The thesis, here, is about what are major factors for the success or for the failure of foreign-trained librarians in Canada? As far as this writer could dig, there is no single study to answer this question about what-works and what-doesn't in moving between and beyond barriers. Hence, this may be considered as a call for a national study.



As with all Canadian immigrants, the story of arrival, survival and revival is very much same for the profession of librarians. Interestingly, there are immigrant stories, first about a few non-professionals getting opportunities to work in libraries (as semi-professionals), and second about foreign-trained-librarians not even getting an interview (let alone get an opportunity for part-time, temporary, voluntary, full-time work). There are no documentary evidences about this occurrence; a sad side of this age-of-information, right-to-information, and right-to-work--so clearly enshrined in the Charter and the legislation.

An important recap: A common requirement for all foreign-trained professionals is: (a) education (local equivalent), (b) training (locally compatible), (c) skills (hard, soft and transferable matching Canadian colors) and the LAST (d) Canadian Experience!!! So is true for Librarians, too.

What is uncommon for librarians is the fact that most come from countries where: (a) language or culture raises a barrier in integration / adaptability; or (b) where the education and training offered back-home is not accredited (national accreditation or national standardization to monitor quality and standards of library schools). South Asian librarians face problem with accreditation (not language or culture as major barrier in finding a professional job). And, a few South Asians, don't get jobs inspite of ALA accredited (master, doctoral and post-doc) degrees. Some may say this is a type of dehumanization, not just deprofessionalization and derecognition of practitioners.

The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC), says: Information on requirements to practise:

The occupation of librarian is not regulated. Therefore, employment is subject to demand, and qualification requirements are set by individual employers. However, a master's degree in library science or its equivalent from an institution accredited by the American Library Association (ALA) is usually required for employment. source

Costly Omissions: Employment barriers for skilled/experienced librarians, in particular, by Manjit Singh, Reference Librarian, Brantford PL; and Dr. Ganga B. Dakshinamurti, Librarian, Albert D. Cohen Management Library:
Foreign-trained librarians face many barriers when seeking employment in Canada with resultant cost to individuals and organizations. A state-of-the-art review of employment barriers illustrated by case studies for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that will be analyzed so all concerned can maximize benefits.

• Case Study. By Manjit Singh, Librarian, Brantford Public Library, Brantford, ON
  
• Case Study. By Muhammad Afzal, Librarian
  These case studies present interesting observations by two foreign trained librarians
  >>>>>>>>An Appeal to All Stakeholders:
  "Along with Tara Zarrin and Manjit Singh, I appeal to all stakeholders, including library associations and library schools in Canada:
  PLEASE take necessary actions to implement meaningful solutions to correct this costly omission of not utilizing fully our foreign-trained librarians, so that ALL Canadians can be gainfully employed for the betterment of Canada!"
  -Professor Ganga Dakshinamurti

Need for a study, factors to be studied may include: (a) role of Canadian institutions / government in accepting / recognizing these librarians (see a sample by Keren Dali and Juris Dilevkoa, 2009); (b) role of foreign-trained librarians in adapting to the Canadian mosaic (see the case studies, above); and (c) identify those who lost their battle (survival of the fittest) and were forced to: i) return to school (within the profession); or ii) re-train themselves out-side-the-box and re-invent the wheel; or iii) couldn't return home (see below: Why we cannot go home?), rather stayed in the land of opportunities accepted odd_jobs in order to make the ends meet (viz., finally work as store worker in grocery stores, visa card sales reps @ call centers, security guards, parking attendant, etc.) i.e, who could-not a find job even 'outside-the-box' (see the book, above, by G. Kim Dority, 2006). One may consider a fourth factor, as well: those who struggled and then left the country (for reasons of (i)lack of opportunities, (ii)repeated failures in finding an accommodation in the job market, (iii)lack of stamina to continue the tryst with destiny, (iv)greener pastures abroad, and so on..).
PS. If you are interested in this project, lets talk. Your comments and support will be highly appreciated. See on the same shelf

• The Countries You May Like to Go with your American / Canadian MLIS - A literature survey
•  Librarian jobs in Canada? Does university name matter?

• Are there lots of librarian jobs in Canada? Does what university I graduate from really matter when I apply for jobs?

• CLA Session Notes - "Systemic Barriers to Library Use: Libraries Engage the Socially Excluded"
  
• "The evaluation of international credentials and the hiring of internationally trained librarians in Canadian academic and public libraries, Keren Dali and Juris Dilevkoa, The International Information & Library Review Volume 41, Issue 3, September 2009, Pages 146-162
  

  "This study examines the way in which libraries in Canada approach the issue of the evaluation of international credentials (ICs) held by internationally trained librarians (ITLs) and the eventual short-listing and hiring of such individuals. In the United States and Canada, librarianship, a non-regulated profession, is to a large degree governed by the American Library Association (ALA), but the ALA's statements regarding ICs and ITLs are often ambiguous. It is therefore frequently left to individual libraries to decide how best to deal with ICs and ITLs"

• Smoothing the Transition: Retraining Centers in Canada for Immigrant Librarians from Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union, by Keren Dali a; Juris Dilevko, Slavic & East European Information Resources, Volume 8, Issue 1 July 2007 , pages 77 - 102
  
• Silviu's Diary: An immigrant librarian in Canada.
  
• Immigrant Librarians in Britain
  
• "Evolving Jamaican migrant identities: contrasts between Britain, Canada and the USA," Paul Thompson a; Elaine Bauer, Community, Work & Family, Volume 6, Issue 1 April 2003 , pages 89 - 102
  
• Migrant Settlement Literature Review
  
• How to kill a young librarian's love of librarianship (AKA. A Dispute Resolution Guide)
  
• Career Path of an "International Librarian"
  
• "Employment of Foreign Trained Librarians in the US and Canada: An Enquiry on Behalf of the LED Committee on Equivalencies and Reciprocity, in American Library Association Office for Library Education," (1970) [cited in Encyclopedia of library and information science, 1965. v. 57, p. 262]
  
• Surrey Public Library INFORMATION FOR FOREIGN-TRAINED LIBRARIANS AND LIBRARY TECHNICIANS
  
• Will tomorrow's libraries become more like museums of today -- A question for the coming decade
  
• Emerson's Conceptual Librarian, Professor of Books -- Library Education Revisited
  
• Unable to get jobs, immigrant couple sue Ottawa [Selladurai Premakumaran and Nesamalar Premakumaran (Appellants)] and the response @ Federal Courts Reports

Why we cannot go home?

Educated immigrants stuck in survival jobs By Travis Lupick

Success Stories: Matilda of Sierra Leone

'Vote by feet'

A land of promise or a land of dismay?

Not Canada Net: Tragedy of Canada for Immigrants

  Skilled immigrants wasting their talents in Canada calgaryherald.com