US Embassy launches ‘American Spot’ at National Library

Feb 15, 2013 News

– anticipates closer collaboration with Guyana

Aimed at exemplifying the United States of America’s commitment to the core tenet of democracy, which speaks to a citizen’s right to free access to information, US Ambassador to Guyana Brent Hardt on Wednesday launched one of two ‘American Spots’ at the National Library.
Another American Spot was set to be unveiled yesterday at the University of Guyana’s Library.
Touted as an avenue which will provide access to the latest in-depth information about the United States, thereby connecting Americans and Guyanese citizens while at the same time encouraging discussions on US policy, society and values, the American Spot is replete with a rich literary collection and toys, especially suited for young children.

From left: Chairman Petamber Persaud and Chief Librarian, Gillian Thompson along with Ambassador Brent Hardt (right) assist a student with the cutting of the ceremonial ribbon to officially launch the American Spot.

Speaking at the launching, Ambassador Hardt said that the Spots will feature a diverse collection of books and booklets.
“We have books on the National Parks of America, on notable American leaders, on US history and government and Native American culture. We also have some of the American Classics such as Tom Sawyer, Catch 22, To Kill a Mockingbird and even the Twilight Series,” the Ambassador said, as he noted that “we are also providing several novels that are written in Braille for the blind and visually impaired.
The American Spots, according to him, will also offer resources to assist young people in pursuing university studies in the US, including guide books on selecting a college or university; how to apply to universities; how to apply for scholarships, and how to write college application essays and degree options available.
“We intend to have a strong EducationUSA presence at both libraries as part of our American Spots initiative,” the envoy asserted.
Previously the materials allotted to the American Spots were located at the Embassy and were not easily accessible. However, with the new initiative in place, Ambassador Hardt is confident that prospective students can visit the Spots and browse the sessions to gain additional guidance on how to use these resources and materials and to share other strategies to further their education and development.
According to the diplomat, EducationUSA and advice for prospective students is one of the priority areas at the Embassy and in the Western Hemisphere. He recounted that in March 2011, President Barack Obama launched the “100,000 Strong in the Americas,” an initiative to increase international study in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The purpose of the 100,000 Strong initiative is to foster region-wide prosperity through greater international exchange of students, whom he recognised as the future leaders and innovators.
The Ambassador pointed to the fact that “increasing mutual understanding within the Western Hemisphere and building closer people-to-people ties, the President (Obama) believes, will help the people of the Hemisphere to work closely to address common challenges, including citizen security, economic opportunity, social inclusion and environmental sustainability”.
Moreover, Ambassador Hardt said that the US is eager to welcome Guyanese students to its universities, even as he asserted that the importance of international educational exchange in promoting understanding across national, cultural, religious and racial borders should never be underestimated. He made reference to the fact that students who participate in international studies draw lifetime benefits from the opportunities to learn a discipline in a different cultural context, to be immersed in and learn from another culture and to share culture with others.
He insisted too that overseas university graduates are ultimately able to use their newly-gained skills to make valuable contributions to the development of their own societies.

A section of the American Spot

“We want to do our part by providing useful information and resources to those prospective students who are interested in learning more about US colleges and the application processes for study in the United States. Our American Spots will help us to achieve this goal,” he assured.
“We realise that these two American Spots featuring books and booklets on the United States represent a beginning. Nevertheless, we would like to use these Spots to host speakers and events sponsored by the US Embassy for the benefit of the public.”
With cultural and informational events, as well as alumni gatherings among other activities, the Ambassador is optimistic that “our small presence at both the National Library and the University of Guyana will help forge an even closer relationship with both of these educational institutions.”
Even as increased usage of the Spots is being anticipated, Ambassador Hardt revealed plans to expand by “adding more resources to these spaces, to include collections of the electronic journals, e-books and multimedia materials.”
According to the National Library’s Chief Librarian, Gillian Thompson, “we are indeed grateful that the Embassy has taken this initiative to enhance the library with books of various disciplines and toys, and we hope that this is just a beginning of a bigger relationship.”
Continuing on a similar note, Chairman of the National Library, Petamber Persaud, said that the combination of donations is welcomed and will help to develop both the minds and bodies of the users. This latest addition to the Library, he added, will complement the Library’s JFK collection.
Also present at Wednesday’s launch was Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Education Ministry, Genevieve Blackman, who also expressed appreciation for the US Embassy’s initiative.