American Corner library project launched in Nakuru County
The US Deputy Chief of Mission in Kenya Mr Isiah Parnell (left) and Nakuru County Environment minister Richard Rop go through literature materials during the opening of the American Corner at the Kenya National Library Service in Nakuru. PHOTO | SULEIMAN MBATIAH | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The project will give researchers and alumni of the US sponsored programmes a platform to share and exchange information on various fields.
- American Corners also provides information about the US, culture and history, offer English teaching and learning materials.
- The American Corner e-library provides an online database which has a rich resource for student researchers, lecturers and the public at large.
- The Nakuru American Corner will be the fourth in Kenya and the first one in Nakuru County.
The alumni of US government-sponsored programmes can now share their experiences under the American Corner project launched in the Kenya National Library Services (KNLS).
The project, by the American embassy and the KNLS, will give researchers and alumni of the US-sponsored programmes a platform to share and exchange information on various fields.
US deputy ambassador to Kenya Isiah Parnell said that America continues to strengthen the 50-year partnership that has existed between the two states that saw 7,000 Kenyans acquire visas to study in the US.
He added that the US was committed to working with Kenya in addressing various challenges and at the same time working together for the good of the two nations.
“The US and Kenya have continuously worked together in sectors like agriculture, food programmes, education and security,” Mr Isiah said.
The deputy ambassador was speaking in Nakuru while launching the American Corner at a KNLS branch.
American Corners also provide information about the US, its culture and its history, offer English teaching and learning materials, and promote academic study in the United States.
VIDEO CONFERENCING
In the Nakuru library, several facilities have been set up under the project, including a video conferencing facility, which has seen students in Nakuru engage in real-time debate with those in Kisumu.
The American Corner e-library provides an online database that has a rich resource for student researchers, lecturers and the public at large who access the content in the KNLS e-resource centres.
KNLS Director Richard Atuti said that currently, there are 395 American Corners in the world, over 90 of which are in Africa.
Nakuru's American Corner will be the fourth in Kenya and the first one in Nakuru County.
The other American Corners are located in Kisumu, Lamu and Nairobi, in partnership with KNLS, the National Museums of Kenya, and the Muslim Education and Welfare Association.
“A new American Corner will be launched at Moi University, Nairobi campus, later this year,” said Mr Atuti.
