Bilingual Intercultural Library

IIM’s library is considered to be the first with an intercultural vocation in Quebec. Its main objective is to obtain and make available various scientific and popular published works dealing with cultures, religions, ethnic relations ; intercultural theories and practices ; cultural studies in development and human rights ;
grassroots alternatives and so on.

The Institute's document collection containes especially philosophical, anthropological and psycho-sociological studies of the contemporary pluralist world. At the same time, they highlight narrative discourses and stories from oral traditions especially in the following area:

— Cultural pluralism and pluralist societies
— Cultures of the world and intercultural relations
— Religions of the world and interreligious dialogue
— Interethnic and inter-racial relations.
— Intercultural studies in development and international relations
— Legal pluralism and human rights
— Local, endogenous and traditional knowledge and practices
— Aboriginal peoples and the first nations

SOME STATISTICAL DATA

The general collection:

— 6000 books
— 3800 other documents including brochures, articles, rapports, etc.
— 140 subscriptions of magazines, periodicals, bulletins, etc.
— 150 audio discs and cassettes
— 80 video cassettes
— 150 geographic and ethnographic maps
— 600 ethnographic illustrations
— Acomplete collection of the works of Raimon Panikkar (1918-... )

MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SERVICE

— Free access to all of the collections of documents available at at the Institute
— Professional assistance in seeking information and references by a trained team of intercultural consultants.
— A clientele coming from community sector; ethnocultural and immigrant communities; voluntary and alternative organizations who may have been inadequately serviced in the traditional public and institutional libraries.
— Consultations of the IIM resources during office hours.
— Photocopy and forwarding services at minimal costs.
— Interlibrary loan services upon request.
— Telereference available by telephone, fax, mail.
— Announcing and diffusing information about the activities, resources and services of community organizations and alternatives groups.
— Availabilty of the IIM resources on its Internet web site.