BRAMA, Oct 18, 2004, 9:00 am ET
Press release
Peace Corps seeks help for Kherson library
The city of Kherson lies not far from the Black Sea in the Southern part of Ukraine. It is a beautiful city full of great potential. The future of this city will, of course, rest upon the shoulders of its children. With this in mind the Kherson Regional Children’s Library ask you to help them help the children, and hence, Kherson.
The Library has established the Foreign Literature Department and World Studies Resource Center as a way to aid the children of Kherson in achieving a broader view of the world through access to educational materials and activities. Thereby providing them with the skills and knowledge they need to assume future leadership roles in Ukraine’s more global-oriented economy and society.
Established in 1924 the Kherson Regional Children’s Library has continually striven for excellence in its field. The library serves approximately 16,000 children annually (approximately 37% of the school children in Kherson). The library has served the children of Kherson well as a depository of books and other informational resources. They have also gone beyond this role and addressed the additional educational needs and desires of the children of the region. Through the use of exhibits, classes and clubs they engage the children in an effort to answer questions, encourage creativity, thought and action. The librarians that are employed here are dedicated to helping children to explore their interests and to fan the flames of intellectual curiosity.
The library has made every attempt to change with the times and to serve the children of Kherson with the most up-to-date resources and tools. The opening of this resource center will compliment the continuing efforts of the library to provide a place for children to seek knowledge.
The Foreign Literature Department and World Studies Resource Center located in the Kherson Regional Children’s Library will contain electronic, print, video, and audio resources, all of which will guide the children to discovery and development. Many activities, such as seminars about culture and history of different countries, English Club, and a World Pen Pal program, will utilize the Resource Center as a home base. The center will also provide an opportunity to train children in proper and intelligent usage of the Internet and software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PageMaker).
Thus far the Resource Center has received a great many donations from around the world. We have over 3000 books and other educational materials. Through a recently won grant we have added computers and some multi media equipment. But we still are faced with large gaps in our collection as well as limitations in our ability to provide training and to utilize certain electronic resources. We therefore are appealing to you, for funding to help us purchase directly, materials to help further shape our collection. We also hope to utilize the funding to purchase an LCD Projector to aid in training classes, presentations, and to utilize CD-ROMs with large numbers of students.
The library has turned to the local community and received some support from local businesses and individuals. However, since the average salary in Kherson is around $30 per month, it is difficult to raise the money through local sources. So we turn to you. A donation of $10, $20, $50 or more will go far in making this resource center the best it can possibly be. Also, if you know of any others that may wish to help, please pass this letter along to them as well.
You can make your donate (tax deductible) online now at:
http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors.contribnow
or by calling the Peace Corps Office of Private Sector Initiatives at 800-424-8580 ext. 2170. Even the smallest donation makes a difference. And 100% of your donation goes to help this project.
For information about this project please contact
Preston Scott Phillips
Peace Corps Volunteer
Kherson Regional Children’s Library
21 Chervonostundentska
Kherson Ukraine 73000
Visit the website at www.library.kherson.ua.
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