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Nov 17: Bilingual Haitian Parent Advisory

11/17/1996

Bilingual Haitian Parent Advisory

Sunday, November 17, 1996

In attendance were: Jean-Baptiste Franklin, Simone Grand-pierre, Hector Tumpere (sp?), George Aurillio, with Karen Carmean of Library 21
To provide access to all the people of Cambridge and to insure that we manage our resources well, Library 21 is gathering information from as many groups as possible about what the people want.

What would you like in the library?

A. Community Activity Center

  • Quiet place kept private for thinking and reading
  • More cultural stuff
  • Tropical lab for exploring how to grow plants and flowers indoors, for knowledge of tropics, to know about foods grown in the topics
  • Science lab
  • Printing lab
  • Agricultural lab
  • Multicultural event for all kids and parents with hands-on activities, food and music
  • Programs to enhance cultures
  • Have a better sense of what it is to be a Spaniard, a Mexican, a Haitian
  • Have people on site to share their experiences

B. Community Information Center

C. Formal Education Support Center

  • Study room
  • Reading programs year around like the summer with parties and prizes

D. Independent Learning Center

  • Literacy programs for non-English speakers

E. Popular Materials Lending Library

  • Not just the internet but other computer programs
  • Internet access at the library now is impossible- too long a wait
  • More Haitian novels. Haitian authors like:
    • Jacques Roumain
    • Jacques Stephen Alexis
    • Fernand Hibert
    • Louis Joseph Janvier
    • Les Griots
    • Jean Price Mars
    • Edwige (sp?) Danticraft
    • More on Haitian history:
      • Jean Bertrand Aristide
      • Marie Therese Colimon(sp?)
      • Libraries must have lots of computers, they are a necessity
      • International books
      • International periodicals from different countries
      • More information about women scientists and science

      F. Preschoolers Door to Learning

      • Space for parents and children

      G. Reference Library

      • Quick information access at a small scale

      H. Research Center

      I. Other- important functions missing from list

      J. An Important Civic Building