PurposeAims to explore an alternative approach to library and information service in multicultural communities, based on the principles of IFLA's Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression (FAIFE) Committee.Design/methodology/approachLiterature‐based analysis of current approaches to multicultural services and the basis for a different approach.FindingsThe need in information and library services for multicultural communities is often described as if it is solely for members of minority communities to be able to obtain materials in their own languages and cultural traditions. A more considered view stresses the need for access to richly informative resources so that all members of a multicultural society can move towards a deeper understanding of each other. IFLA's FAIFE initiative implies more than just a campaign against the suppression and censorship of information and communication. It implies creating conditions for information access unhindered by prejudices, misconceptions and inadequate competences. FAIFE's role in facilitating removal of restrictions, combating suppression of information, fostering rights of access and supporting the development of information competences in all communities and in the information professionals who serve them, is potentially a major contributor to the enhancement of fair and harmonious relations in multicultural communities.Research limitations/implicationsThere is no new research in the paper: it builds on sources already published.Practical implicationsA modified approach to multicultural library and information services based on FAIFE principles.Originality/valueAddresses providers of multicultural services in libraries.