1. Laurie Rogers
LIS 7370
Multicultural library programs
TO: Sue Smith, library director
FROM: Laurie Rogers, librarian
DATE: October 19, 2009
SUBJECT: Creative children’s programming for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
The third Monday in January, Martin Luther King, Jr. day, is not just a federal holiday. It
is also a very culturally significant annual event, celebrating the legacy of a great civil rights
leader and pacifist.
In an effort to inform more children about the legacy of Dr. King, I propose that our
library hold a children’s cultural event for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in 2010. The program will
be open to all elementary school students in our town, and to their parents. Promotion of the
event will occur through librarian visits to the local schools, and by hanging posters and flyers in
the library.
Though the holiday will fall on a Monday (Monday, January 18, 2010), in order for the
maximum number of families to attend, the event should be held on the Saturday afternoon
prior to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Saturday, January 16th, 2010).

2. The event will consist of various different activities in order to accommodate the age
range of the children and make the event enjoyable for parents as well. For the youngest
children, a librarian will read a children’s book about Martin Luther King (like The Story of
Martin Luther King Jr. by Johnny Ray Moore) and distribute picture books for parents to share
with them, such as A Picture Book of Martin Luther King by David Adler. Children that can read
on their own will be given word search activities created by librarians and books to read
together, like Faith Ringgold’s My Dream of Martin Luther King. Books at a higher reading level
will also be included in the event for children who are advanced readers and for the parents
who attend. A one hour DVD, Our Friend Martin, will be screened for all attendees and food will
be provided during the movie. This biographical film intercuts real life footage of King’s life with
his story told in animation.
In order to meet the current budget constraints, best efforts will be made obtain these
resources through our library and by borrowing from other area libraries, rather than adding to
the collection. The overall event budget, including food, decorations and advertising costs, is
estimated at $200.

3. TO: Sue Smith, library director
FROM: Laurie Rogers, librarian
DATE: October 19, 2009
SUBJECT: Innovative library programming for adults on Chinese culture (Chinese New Year
Event)
This upcoming Chinese New Year starts on February 14, 2010. Rather than a Valentine’s
Day theme, I propose that we do something new and interesting for our patrons on this day by
hosting a Chinese cultural event.
The event is targeted at adult patrons and will be held after the end of the typical work
day, from 5 to 9 pm. It will include Chinese food with a focus on New Year traditions--for
example, fruit, spring rolls and candies are respectively considered symbols of luck, prosperity
and wealth in the new year.
The event will also include a showcase of books on Chinese culture, such as China A to Z:
Everything You Need to Know to Understand Chinese Customs and Culture by May-lee Chai and
Winberg Chai, and The Cambridge Companion to Modern Chinese Culture by Kam Louie. Artwork
and decorations for the Chinese New Year will be displayed, to correspond with 2010, the year
of the tiger in Chinese culture. A one hour documentary will be screened, from the PBS series
China From the Inside. Two volunteer speakers, one on Chinese culture and one on the topic of
the Chinese New Year, will be brought in from Asian Languages and Cultures department of the
local college.

4. The event will also be advertised with posters and flyers at the college, in area
bookstores and book clubs, and throughout the library. It will also be featured on the library
website. The estimated budget for food, advertising, decorations and the addition of any library
resources to the collection is $475.

5. TO: Sue Smith, library director
FROM: Laurie Rogers, librarian
DATE: October 19, 2009
SUBJECT: For Ramadan: A fun and educational Middle Eastern cultural event for students,
faculty and staff
Next year (2010), the Muslim religious holiday of Ramadan will start on Wednesday, the 11th of
August and will continue for 30 days until Thursday, the 9th of September. I propose that the
college library hold a Middle Eastern cultural event on September 9th, 2010. This program will
offer an opportunity for students, faculty and staff to learn more about the history behind
Ramadan while socializing together and enjoying good food, music, art and books. This event
will serve as an excellent opportunity for students, faculty and staff to learn more about Middle
Eastern cultures and the library’s relevant resources.
Students will be invited to contribute to the event by promoting it within their classes and
student organizations, and by preparing traditional Ramadan recipes from May S. Bsisu’s book,
The Arab Table. A student speaker will talk about the history of Ramadan, and Ramadan in
modern culture. A member of faculty from the Near East Studies will speak about Islamic art
and architecture. Middle Eastern music (both traditional music and modern Arabic pop) will be
played and relevant works of student art will be showcased. A selection of books on Arab
culture, such as Islamic Design: A Genius for Geometry by David Aud and A History of the
Modern Middle East by William L Cleveland and Martin Bunton, will be displayed for browsing.

6. In order to stay within the library budget, and to showcase existing library resources, this event
will only use items that are currently in the library collection. The only cost will be for any food
and food-related items not covered by students, plus the cost of advertising. The estimated
budget is $175, with $125 covering the refreshments and other food-related items, and $50
allotted for creating promotional materials which students will distribute.