I was a professional manager of inspection and certification in China before I immigrated to Canada. The livable environment and climate of Vancouver has always been attractive to my family and me. After we came to Canada in 2012, I was deeply impressed by the multiculturalism and the wealth of free resources from the public libraries.
I was looking forward to integrating socially in my new life here and started to volunteer as a Library Champion of NewToBC in 2013. I enjoyed the training courses and outreach of the program, which made me feel more fulfilled and confident. As a new immigrant, I helped other newcomers get used to a new society. Also, I felt proud for making contribution to this project.
The most important thing for newcomers to understand about their libraries is that they can use all the resources for free and participate in so many kinds of activities. My library, the Richmond Public Library (RPL), is a friendly and welcoming community gathering place that offers free access to books, DVDs, computers, events, study space and many other services. The most surprising one to me was the 3D printing services. Richmond Public Library has 4 locations that are open 7 days a week: Brighouse (Main) Branch, Cambie Branch, Ironwood Branch and Steveston Branch. The Newcomers section of the library is specifically designed to provide information about the library, settling in BC, improve English, and more.
While volunteering for the Library Champions Project, I enrolled in ESL classes. I was able to practice my English and public speaking skills with this project and this gave me the confidence I needed to apply for my new job as a legal assistant at a law firm.
I continue to volunteer for this project as a member of the Advisory Committee. I have been doing this for three years. As a group, we organize the Library Champions Project year-end celebration and provide feedback to help improve the NewToBC website. I’ve always been proud of being a member of the LCP and the Advisory Committee and will continue enthusiastically supporting this project in the future.
I love my new home. I love the fresh air and the beautiful scenery – Stanley Park is my favourite place to go. I love how multicultural my new home is. And, I love my library.