From First Visit to Citizenship: A Full Circle Moment at London Public Library
On Friday, April 17, the third floor of Central Library filled with the sound of hundreds of voices singing Oh Canada and cheering a significant, shared milestone. On this morning, 80 people were sworn in as Canadian citizens, with friends and family, dignitaries and the staff of London Public Library (LPL) joining them to celebrate. This special citizenship ceremony was hosted by London Public Library in partnership with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and was scheduled during Citizenship Week, a time to reflect on the shared rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
For the Library, this moment carried particular meaning. Through the Library Settlement Partnership (LSP) program, funded by IRCC, London Public Library supports newcomers as they build their lives in London and begin to navigate their new community. LPL's branches are often among the first places newcomers turn to for information, connection, and a sense of belonging. In 2025, 22,000 newcomers accessed the LSP program at seven library locations.
As one new citizen shared after the ceremony:
The Library was one of the first places I came to when I first came to Canada, I remember I was like "Oh my god, so many books!!" But I've used it for settlement services. My daughter also used it for the summer READ program. We take lots of books out we also come here over the weekend. Thank you to the Library, it's our second home for sure.
I feel so good, it's amazing, it's been a very long journey and finally I get to call Canada my home. I feel so good, I feel happy excited and thank you for welcoming me Canada.
Hosting a citizenship ceremony brought that newcomer journey into focus. It was an opportunity to see individuals who may have accessed settlement services at LPL locations take their next step toward becoming Canadian citizens. It also highlighted the role public libraries play as trusted spaces that support people from arrival through to citizenship.
For LPL, being part of this milestone reflects the impact of this work, and the role libraries continue to play in welcoming and supporting newcomers in their communities.