Original report from Washington
03 March 2008
The Mark Twain Library, in Long Beach, recently brought in more than 1,000 books from Cambodia and has been working feverishly to have them catalogued and ready to check out by Cambodian New Year, in April.
"We have about around 50,000 Cambodian people in our area," said librarian Susan Taylor. "And we need to serve them like we serve all the other population with the reading materials. And we are here as a public library to please, and offer information to the community, whether they are English speaking, or Spanish speaking, or Vietnamese speaking or whatever."
The library bought the books after two librarians made a foray into Cambodia.
Sam Sothea [KI-Media: Sithea San?], a community leader in Long Beach and president of the neighborhood's "Cambodia Town," said the library would work to make the books available by Khmer New Year, in April.
"So the Cambodians can borrow them and read at home," she said.
"We have about around 50,000 Cambodian people in our area," said librarian Susan Taylor. "And we need to serve them like we serve all the other population with the reading materials. And we are here as a public library to please, and offer information to the community, whether they are English speaking, or Spanish speaking, or Vietnamese speaking or whatever."
The library bought the books after two librarians made a foray into Cambodia.
Sam Sothea [KI-Media: Sithea San?], a community leader in Long Beach and president of the neighborhood's "Cambodia Town," said the library would work to make the books available by Khmer New Year, in April.
"So the Cambodians can borrow them and read at home," she said.
6 comments:
thank you for being fair to khmers as there are large khmer population in long beach. in see vietnamese books everywhere, so why not also serve cambodian books, too!
Finally, my prayer has answered. I like to read Khmer books. I read every Khmer books at the Main library. We Khmer living outside the mother land find these Khmer books very precious. I'm looking forward into checking them out once they become available.
Okay, but keep in mind that you can't get good job in the US for being Khmer literate. English must come first, then when you got extra time, then you can read all the Khmer stuff you want.
Furthermore, make sure all stupid gorilla around you know this also. That way, maybe there will be some hope for them in the US.
6:50, thanks for your concern, but how did you arrived to the conclusion that I only read Khmer books? You should direct your advice to high school kids. I'm a grown up man with decent U.S education. I work in an engineering department for a multi-billion dollars company.
If you're living in the States English is a given language. As long as you stay in school I don't see a problem why you should have any problem with English. We Khmer living abroad have become culture shock. I've seen Khmer that don't speak Khmer which is very sad. We need to keep our Khmer root. We need to teach our children to read and write Khmer.
Once again, thank you Mark Twain library for carrying Khmer books.
Thank you, Mark Twain library. It is not only for Khmer children but for everyone who wants to learn Khmer language.
10:06, what made you think I draw any conclusion? I was just giving you advices because most gorilla oversea expect good job without having to learn English. They just want to learn Khmer Language, and expect to get good job in the US, France, Japan, ..., China, or Vietnam. I have been debating with them for the last 6 to 7 years now. I keep on telling them that you have to master language of the country first if you are to have any chance, but they keep tell me that the country should be muticulture or something, and they only have to learn enough to get by....
In any case, if you already know that English has priority in the US, just make sure other gorilla understand it, okay?
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