Public Library Services for Language and Cultural Minorities

(in English): In some libraries, intercultural services are already a regular part of operations. In the Czech environment they appear only sporadically, as confirmed by a questionnaire survey examining library services for people with specific needs. In the survey have participated 625 libraries and it turned out that only 6 % of them offer targeted services to foreigners, migrants or national minorities. Another 30 % of libraries are marginally involved in these groups. A survey of the use of Czech libraries by migrants have tried to discover the view from the other side. It consisted of a questionnaire survey with 122 respondents, and semi-structured interviews with eight respondents. The results showed that most respondents do not regularly use the services of Czech libraries. If migrants use the library, they evaluate their offer positively. Best rated were events in the library, which received an average rating of 1.12 on a scale of one to four. Furthermore, the reasons of non-use of Czech libraries were investigated - the most frequent reason was an other way of obtaining literature. Project Open Library in Madrid was chosen as an example of good international practice. The concept of intercultural mediation in libraries was presented in a case study. The question is whether migrants would..