Last month (April) Labour and Immigration Manitoba released a guide for new immigrant women out of the Status of Women Office. The guide, entitled Manitoba My New Home. Living in Manitoba. A Resource Guide for Immigrant Women, is the first of its kind in Canada.

Unfortunately this document - promoted as a key resource to support the full range of new immigrant women's needs - left libraries virtually unmentioned. No library or library system is listed in the Guide's directory, and libraries receive 3 scant mentions in the 109 page document.

The MLA feels this was a significant oversight. Our community - libraries from a range of sectors - know the value we have to offer new immigrants. We are aware of the services we deliver to them and the difference we make to their social and economic status.

Following a review of the Guide, I sent a query via the MLA and other listservs asking for your stories about interacting with new immigrant women and their families. Thank you for your feedback. Messages were received from many sources including small, rural libraries, academic libraries and special libraries and reinforced that we are serving this group in creative and effective ways.

Your input informed the letter to Minister Nancy Allan included below. I am happy to report that talks with the Status of Women office have begun and the MLA hopes to shortly have news to report as to how the omission in the Guide can be rectified or mitigated.

Stay tuned! And many thanks,
 
Monique Woroniak
Director of Advocacy

Click here to read MLA letter to Minister Allan

Visit here to read the Guide: http://www.gov.mb.ca/msw/publications/index.html