citizenship connection

The Citizenship Corner at Central Library offers a dedicated workstation for United States immigration and citizenship resources, including access to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services online, study materials for the citizenship test, books to help learn and practice English language skills, and information from local immigration service providers.

Books

• How to Become a U.S. Citizen
• Immigration Questions and Answers
• A Beginner’s Guide to America

Websites

• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): Information about citizenship and naturalization, green cards, and other immigration issues. Some useful tools from this site include:
  • Forms Library
  • Check Your Case Status Online
• Missouri Office of Refugee Administration
• New Americans Campaign

As part of the naturalization process, applicants for U.S. citizenship must pass a civics test that evaluates the applicant’s knowledge of U.S. history and government. Here is a sampling of SLPL materials and online resources to hone U.S. civics knowledge.

Books

• Citizenship
• The Handbook for Americans
• The Handy American Government Answer Book
• How to Be an American
• The Infographic Guide to American Government

Databases

• Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government
• Brain Fuse HelpNOW
• LearningExpress Library

Local Resources

• Civics Flash Cards for the Naturalization Test
• Christian Friends of New Americans

Websites

• USCIS: Naturalization Interview and Test 
• USCIS: Naturalization Test practice
• USA Hello Classroom: Free U.S. Citizenship Test online class
• America's Founding Documents: Transcripts of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights from the National Archives and Records Administration.
• Congress.gov: Information about the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Useful for tracking bills and laws and learning about members of Congress. Use the Members section to find your Senators and Representatives.
• The White House: Includes information about the current President as well as the cabinet and other branches of government.

As part of the naturalization process, applicants for U.S. citizenship must pass an English test that assesses the applicant’s ability to read, write, and speak the language. Here is a sampling of SLPL materials and online resources to improve English skills.

Books 

• American Accent Training
• English the American Way
• English U.S.A. Everyday
• Practice Makes Perfect: Basic English
• Practice Makes Perfect: English Conversation
• Practice Makes Perfect: English Grammar for ESL Learners

Databases (Free online resources to all SLPL cardholders)

• Mango Languages

Local Resources

• Christian Friends of New Americans
• Immigrant Home English Learning Program
• International Institute
• LifeWise STL
• Parkway Schools
• St. Charles Community College
• St. Louis Community College
• St. Louis Public Library: ELL Conversation Practice
• St. Louis Public Schools
• University City School District
• YMCA

Websites 

• ABCYa: This is a website for kids, but who says adults can't use it, too?
• A4ESL: Quizzes, exercises, and puzzles for English language learners
• Dave’s ESL Café: Lessons and quizzes to practice grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary, idioms, and slang
• Duolingo: Free English courses for speakers of different languages (Requires email address or Facebook account)
• Easy World of English: An interactive picture dictionary, and grammar, pronunciation, reading and listening
• ESL Bits: Audiobooks, news stories, short stories, songs and radio drama
• GCF Learn Free: Interactive tutorials for everything from operating an ATM machine to reading food labels
• Language Guide: Improve audio comprehension skills and build vocabulary
• Many Things: Video and audio for students to self-study
• Ventures Arcade: An online supplemental tool to the Ventures textbook series to practice vocabulary and grammar in theme-based contexts
• VOA English: Multimedia source of news and information for English learners worldwide

Here is a sampling of SLPL materials and resources to help you search for legal services for immigration, citizenship, asylum, family reunification and similar legal services.

Books

• Becoming a U.S. Citizen
• How to Get a Green Card 
• U.S. Immigration Made Easy 
• Fiancé and Marriage Visas

Local Resources

• International Institute of St. Louis
• Legal Services of Eastern Missouri
• Migrant & Immigrant Community Action Project (MICA)

Websites

• Immigration Equality
• USCIS: Find Legal Services
• USCIS: Scams, Fraud, and Misconduct 

Welcome to America! Here is a sampling of SLPL materials and resources to help you integrate into your new community.

Books 

• Welcome to the U.S.A. You're Hired, opens a new window
• Welcome to the United States

Local Resources

• Refugee Resettlement
  • International Institute
  • Missouri Office of Refugee Administration
  • Office of Refugee Resettlement
• New American Alliance
• Start Here: Immigrant Services
• St. Louis Mosaic Project
• Welcome Neighbor STL
• St. Louis Regional Immigrant and Refugee Resource Ecosystem: Interactive map of the interconnected resources available for immigrants and refugees in the St. Louis region.

 Websites

• ImmiHelp: Newcomer to USA Guide, opens a new window
• Just Landed: USA Guide
• Missouri Driver Handbook (in DARI: دری  , opens a new windowand PASHTO: , opens a new windowپښتو , opens a new window)
• Social Security Administration
• USA.gov
• USCIS: Settling in the U.S.

The United States is indelibly changed by its past and present immigrant, migrant, and refugee populations. As we embrace our recent citizens, we also remember the new Americans of generations ago, those who arrived at Ellis Island, Angel Island, and anywhere in between. You can explore your family history at the St. Louis Public Library using some of the digital resources listed below, and dig even deeper at the Genealogy department at Central Library.

Databases: (Free online resources to all SLPL cardholders)

• Ancestry Library Edition: Includes record collections of birth and death certificates, yearbooks, prison registers, ship manifests, the U.S. Census, and thousands more
• FamilySearch: Millions of records from all around the world that are digitized and maintained by the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah
• Fold3: Investigate family military history using the service records from the American Revolution of the 1770s to the Vietnam War of the 1970s
• Newspaper resources: For information about daily life in the past, there is no better source than a newspaper!
  • Historic St. Louis Post Dispatch: 1874 - 2003
  • St. Louis Post Dispatch: 1988 - Current
  • Newspapers.com: Hundreds of other historic newspapers from St. Louis and around the world
  • Microfilm collection of local historic newspapers at Central Library
• SLPL's Genealogy Department: Staff help track down obituaries, connect customers with resources, hone your online research skills, and assist in breaking down brick walls in your research! Please contact us at 314-539-0385 or email jbaker@slpl.org, opens a new window, for further information.