"The American public library empowered many immigrants to transform their individual dreams and potentialities into American realities."
- Eric Frederick Goldman, "Century of the American dream," Saturday Review (Dec. 13, 1975)
The American Place is a free library service for immigrants and refugees. Our goal is to help you adjust to life in America while preserving elements of your native culture. All our programs are free.
For more information, contact: (860) 695- 6337, Email: tap@hplct.org
(860) 695-6334
All Services Are Free
Citizenship Classes
Learn what you need to know in order to pass the citizenship test, and what to expect during the test. Classes meet one day a week (2 hours) for eight weeks; weekends and evenings.
Weekend English Classes
Classes start three times a year: September for the fall session; January for the winter session; and June for the summer session.
Resources for Studying at Home
English language and citizenship educational material for borrowing and studying at home; including grammar and text books, bi-lingual dictionaries, DVDs, and CDs.
Language Laboratory
Computers with specially designed English language software with over 1000 hours of interactive instructional activities.
Computers and Internet
Help with searching for immigration information, downloading/printing forms, and registering for an email and government account. Applicants are required to fill out the forms themselves. Library staff are not qualified to provide legal advice.
Visa Lottery Program
Each year (beginning early October and ending early December) the U.S. State Department conducts a lottery program to distribute applications for immigrant visas. Winners are selected randomly. Entry is free but the applications can only be submitted online. To facilitate the process, the Downtown Library provides applicants with computers and scanners, and assistance with using the equipment.
Immigration Forums
Regularly scheduled information lectures covering immigration topics, such as relative petitions and adjustment of status.
Professional Development
Regularly scheduled trainings on topics that facilitate communication and understanding of immigration issues and diverse cultures.
Multilingual Collections
The Library offers a core collection of books in Spanish, Portuguese, French, Chinese, and Vietnamese.
Cultural Performances & Exhibits
Check our online calendar for a current listing of events.
It's never been easier to get a passport, see how!
Contact: Homa Naficy, Associate Librarian, Education and Outreach Services
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Citizenship and Immigration Services
Citizenship and Integration Grant
Year 2010
Amount of $99,985.00
Project Title: Citizenship Education Services
Project Goal: To expand educational opportunities and tools to facilitate the transition of Legal Permanent Residents to citizenship status and integration, via the use of instructional technologies (multimedia and software) and collaborative learning. The Library will build on its partnerships with the Hartford Public Schools and selected Ethnic- Based Organizations (EBOs) to recruit volunteer immigrant high school students and members from the EBOs to be trained as: trainers in the effective use of instructional technologies and guides to the naturalization process. The Library will offer two delivery modes; one an instructor-led Classroom mode, and the second, a self-paced, self-study mode, facilitated at the Library by the trained volunteers. The Self-Study mode will increase learning opportunities for students unable to attend a “fixed-schedule” course, because of their work or other socio-economic barriers. Instructional technologies will be at the core of both delivery modes; hence, students will improve their civics/ESL knowledge while gaining invaluable computer skills.
Institute of Museum and Library Services
National Leadership Grant (Demonstration)
Year 2010
Amount: $637,896
Project Title: Building Relationships and Bridging Social Capital: An Inclusive Approach to Immigrant Civic Engagement
Project Goal: World renowned Harvard sociologist Robert Putnam contends that building networks of trusting relationships creates one of civic participation’s most powerful contributions to immigrant integration. Putnam calls these relationships “social capital,” arguing that all aspects of community, including inter-group relations, are strengthened when social capital is strong. Indeed, people who know one another through shared work are far less capable of stereotyping, fearing, and mischaracterizing each other. In its publication The Engaged Library: Library Stories of Community Building, the Urban Library Council refers to Putnam and re-emphasizes that libraries are uniquely positioned to build networks that bring together different types of people who may not otherwise share experiences with each other.
According to a recent report, ‘The House We All Live In” published by the Carnegie Corporation “…there is not enough funding to generate more research to replicate successful models of immigrant civic integration…” Creating such a replicable model, that will respond to the acute need nationwide for immigrant civic integration, is the goal of this demonstration project. Click here for an overview of Project Design.
Phone: (860) 695-6300
Text: 66746