Multicultural educational resources in Thunder Bay Public Libraries: availability, accessibility, and educational implications

Abstract

This study examines the availability, accessibility, and perceived usefulness of multicultural educational resources at one branch of the Thunder Bay Public Libraries, with particular attention to how these resources support multicultural families with young children. As Canadian mid-sized cities become increasingly diverse, public libraries play an important role in supporting bilingual literacy development, heritage language maintenance, and opportunities for cultural learning. However, limited research has explored how multicultural educational resources function in mid-sized cities with constrained institutional capacity. Using a qualitative single-case study design informed by ethnographic principles, this study draws on semi-structured interviews with three parents from diverse linguistic backgrounds and two library staff members, as well as field observations of library spaces and resources displays. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis to identify patterns related to resource availability, visibility, institutional practices, and family experiences. Findings indicate that while the library provides a welcoming and child-centered environment that supports English literacy and social interaction, multicultural educational resources remain limited in scope, visibility, and depth. Multilingual materials are unevenly distributed and often difficult to locate without staff assistance. Although families value the library as a community space, support for sustained heritage language development and culturally embedded learning is constrained by institutional structures, centralized decision-making, and limited programming opportunities. The study highlights the importance of visibility, strategic collection development, community-informed programming, and institutional support in advancing equitable access to multicultural educational resources. By focusing on a mid-sized Canadian city, this research contributes to ongoing discussions about the role of public libraries as inclusive educational spaces in increasingly diverse communities.