This study examines and compares public library services for immigrants in the U.S. in the early 1900s and nowadays. U.S. public libraries in the early 1900s supported the Americanizing movement by opening English language classes and providing information that is essential for U.S. citizenship. Public librarians also recognized the importance of foreign language materials; by providing foreign language materials and developing diverse services to reach immigrants, public libraries eventually hastened assimilation processes. Despite a gap of one hundred years, the situation today is not very different. Public libraries still try hard to serve their ethnic patrons with extensive foreign- language collections and culturally diverse library programs, while still emphasizing English language education.
ALA. (2008a). ALA Unveils Study on Library Service to New Americans. American Libraries, 39(5), 12-.
ALA. Serving Non-English Speakers in U.S. Public Libraries: 2007 Analysis of Library Demographics, Services and Programs. http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/olos/nonenglishspeakers/index.cfm.
Americanization. (2001). In the Oxford Companion to United State History:Oxford Uni-versity Press.
Berry, J. N. (1999). Culturally Competent Service. Library Journal, 124(14), 112-.
Chu, Clara M. (1999). Immigrant Children Mediators (ICM): Bridging the Literacy Gap in Immigrant Communities (20-28). Conference Proceeding of the 65th Annual Conference of the International Federation of Library Association.
Cichanowicz, E. M. (2004). Planning for Multilingual Chat Reference Service in a Suburban Public Library System. The Reference Librarian, 85, 115-126.
Crane, Frank. (1920). The Ten Points of Americanism. The Library Journal, 45, 214-215.
Editorial. (1920). The Immigrant Publication Society. The Library Journal, 45, 213-214.
Editorial. The Library Journal.
Fain, E. (1925). Books for New Citizens: Public Libraries and Americanization Programs, 1900-1925 in The Quest for Social Justice:The University of Wisconsin Press.
Fitzgibbons, S. A. School and Public Library Relationships: Essential Ingredients in Implementing Educational Reforms and Improving Student Learning.
Gibson, Campbell. (2000). Historical Census Statistics on the Foreign-Born Population of the United States: 1850- 2000. Population Division.
Hall, T. D. (2006). Diversity, Recruitment, and Retention: Going from Lip Service to Foot Patrol. Public Libraries, 45(1), 39-46.
Harris, M. (1973a). The Purpose of the American Public Library: A Revisionist Interpretation of History. Library Journal, 98, 2512-2513.
Harris, M. (1973b). The Purpose of the American Public Library in Historical Perspective: A Revisionist Interpretation:ERIC Clearing- house on Library and Information Sciences.
Hughes, J. W. (1999). America’s Demographic Tapestry: Baseline for the New Millennium:Rutgers University Press.
Jenkins, Christine A. (2000). The History of Youth Services Librarianship: A Review of the Research Literature. Libraries & Culture, 35(1), 103-140.
Jones, Plummer A. (1999). Libraries, Immigrants, and the American Experience:Greenwood Press.
Jones, Plummer A. (2004). Still Struggling for Equality:Libraries Unlimited.
Josephson, Askel G. S. (1894). Foreign Books in American Libraries. The Library Journal, 19, 364-.
Kim, K-S. (2006). Recruiting and Retaining Students of Color in LIS Programs: Perspective. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, 47(2), 81-95.
Kudlicka, Josepha. (1910). Library Work among Foreigners. Public Libraries, 15, 375-376.
Lai, E. (2003). The New Face of Asian Pacific America: Numbers, Diversity & Change in the 21st Century:AsianWeek, with UCLA Asian American Studies Center Press.
Larsen, Luke J. The Foreign-Born Population in the United States: 2003.
Learned W. S. (1924). The American Public Library and the Diffusion of Knowledge:Brace and Company.
Lupien, P. (2004). Bilingual Virtual Reference. Computers in Libraries, 24(5), 6-56.
Pokorny, R. E. (2003). Library Services to Immi- grants and Non-Native Speakers of English: From Our Past to Our Present. Bookmobile and Outreach Services, 6(2), 21-34.
QBPL. Queens Library Facts. http://www.queenslibrary.org/UserFiles/File/MCD/35240508_singlepages.pdf.
Randall, W. M. (1931). What can the Foreigner Find to Read in the Public Library?. Library Quarterly, 1, 79-88.
Roberts, Flora B. (1912). The Library and the Foreign Citizen. Public Libraries, 17, 166-169.
Rogers, M. (2003). Serving up World Languages. Library Journal, 128(11), 42-44.
Saye, J. D. ALISE: Library and Information Science Education Statistical Report 2003 – Students. http://ils.unc.edu/ALISE/2003/Students/Students01.htm.
Stern, Stephen. (1991). Ethnic Libraries and Librarianship in the United States: Models and Prospects. Advances in Librarianship, 15, 77-102.
Strong, Gary E. (2000). LinQing the World to Queens – and Queens to the World. American Libraries, 31(9), 44-46.
Sung, Betty Lee. (1987). The Adjustment Experience of Chinese Immigrant Children in New York City:Center for Migration Studies.
U.S. Census Bureau. Coming to America: A Profile of the Nation’s Foreign Born (2000 Update).
Virgilio, D. (2004). InfoBUS: Serving Immigrant and Refugee Populations in From Outreach To Equity:Library Association.
Wendel, F. C. H. (1911). The Stranger Within Our Gates: What Can the Library Do for Him?. Public Libraries, 19(3), 89-92.
Yust, William F. (1913). What of the Black and Yellow Races? (-). Proceedings from the Conference of the American Library Association.
Zhang, X. (2001). The Practice and Politics of Public Library Services to Asian Immigrants in Immigrant Politics and the Public Library:Green-wood Press.