Check out the I’m Your Neighbor, Portland book collection at the Main Branch of the Portland Public Library! Look for the beautiful bookcase between Children’s Services and Circulation.
The books were funded by the marvelous Maine Humanities Council.
Students, community members and authors joined on Saturday at the Portland Public Library for the I’m Your Neighbor, Portland Launch
I’m Your Neighbor, Portland officially kicked off with the Launch Party this past Saturday at the Portland Public Library. During the event, members of the community were introduced to the featured books and planned events that will be taking place throughout the year. It also gave an opportunity to recognize the many organizers and facilitators whose contributions and hard work are making these programs possible this year.
The nine Featured Books were available for purchase from the University Southern Maine bookstore in addition to copies to borrow from the Portland Public Library
The community was joined by authors Terry Farish, Frederick Lipp, Maria Padian, and Anne Sibley O’Brien, as well as Aruna Kenyi, who wrote a story in I Remember Warm Rain. The authors were recognized along with their books and were available for book signings.
Authors Maria Padian (left) and Frederick Lipp (right) with Kirsten Cappy
The event started off with Kirsten Cappy, Program Director, introducing the inspiration, mission and vision for I’m Your Neighbor, Portland. She was followed by Dr. Krista Maywalt Anderson, professor of psychology at Bates College and Project Scholar, who explained the importance of reading about cultures other than ones own and her research on the issue.
Dr. Krista Aronson, Professor of Psychology at Bates College and Project Scholar spoke to the importance of reading about other cultures
The highlight of the event was the presentation of the Featured Books. Each book was presented by one of Portland’s NAACP Martin Luther King, Jr. Fellows. The students gave a brief summary and read an excerpt of their choice, including one student who related The Good Braider to his own experiences in coming from Iraq to Portland.
King Fellows presenters with copies of Out of Nowhere
Kirsten Cappy with King Fellows presenters
Following the presentations, attendees were given the chance to donate to the Free Book Distribution, which helps fund and provide this collection of books for the community. The audience then broke up into small discussion groups and Anne Sibley O’Brien led them in introducing themselves by giving the history of their names. The discussion invited attendees to express how they envisioned using these books in the community.
A sampling of snacks and candies from various ethnic markets around Portland, including Sun Oriental Market, Safari Grocery, Mittapheap International Market, Sindibad Market, La Bodega Latina and Tandoor Bakery were available for refreshments. Guests could try Turkish Delight or Korean sesame candies or the tremendously popular freshly made hummus and bread from Tandoor Bakery.
Hummus and bread from Tandoor Bakery
Throughout the event, attendees were encouraged to write “I’m Your Neighbor” in any language that they knew on a banner. The banner will be present at each event for people to add to the growing list of languages. Already the banner has “I’m Your Neighbor” written in Japanese, Arabic, Italian, French and Somalian.
Guests were invited to write “I’m Your Neighbor” in any language on the I’m Your Neighbor banner that will be displayed at all future events
“I’m Your Neighbor” in Arabic
We hope you will join us in reading and celebrating these books throughout the year. Please visit our Events page to see upcoming programs.
One more day until the I’m Your Neighbor, Portland collection opens at the Portland Public Library’s Main Branch.
The bookcase is positioned and waiting thanks to “City of Readers” coordinator Jim Charette, the books have been ordered thanks to Children’s Librarian Mary Peverada, and the signage is installed thanks to Banacom Sign.
Thanks to the catalogers for working double time to get the books to the shelves!
Look for the bookcase between circulation and children’s after Memorial Day!
This quote from poet Amit Majmudar speaks to the mission of I’m Your Neighbor, Portland beautifully.
“Readers don’t want the differences to estrange them — for all their curiosity, they actually want the differences to disappear. They want to recognize themselves. This is all part of the larger paradox of fiction, where the characters must be specific enough to be anyone. In the end, the packaging may simply serve as an introduction. The true meeting takes place when the book opens, and a stranger reads about — and comprehends — a stranger.” —Amit Majmudar, a poet and diagnostic nuclear radiologist, is the author, most recently, of the novel “The Abundance.”
Quoted from a New York Times essay, “Am I An ‘Immigrant Writer’?”
Look what arrived! Mary E. Robbins and Nabil Sibouih of moth written made this beautiful image for I’m Your Neighbor, Portland and I’m Your Neighbor Books. The phrase “I’m Your Neighbor” was collected in different languages by author/illustrator and I’m Your Neighbor, Portland advisor Anne Sibley O’Brien from Portland Public Schools’ Multilingual and Multicultural Center staff and from friends of Mary and Nabil.
moth written is a “Moroccan-American marriage in Maine.” In Morocco, a moth is a good omen. Mary and Nabil honor their family there by encouraging positive dialogue about the Arabic speaking world through the creation of t-shirts, bags, and pins in Arabic.
I’m Your Neighbor, Portland and the Portland Public Library invite you to the Launch Event of a year-long community-wide read of books set in Maine’s “new arrival” communities.
Date: Saturday, May 25th, 2013
Time: 3:00-6:00 PM
Location: Rines Auditorium, Portland Public Library
5 Monument Square, Portland, Maine
Info: Curious City, 207-420-1126, kirsten@curiouscity.net
The Featured Books by Maine authors and illustrators tell the stories of people that have come to Portland and to Maine from all over the world in the last several decades and in doing so transformed the city into a vibrantly multiracial and multicultural community.
The May 25th event will introduce the books (for both families and adult readers) with readings, music, and refreshments from local independent groceries.
Attendees will have an opportunity to say “I’m Your Neighbor” in any language they know, share the story of their name with their neighbors, and envision how these books can be used in the community.
The Portland Public Library’s I’m Your Neighbor, Portland book collection will open for circulation the day of the event. Books will be for sale by the USM Bookstore and many of the authors will be available for signing.
The project is generously funded by the Maine Humanities Council and hosted by the Portland Public Library. A special thanks to the NAACP’s King Fellows for introducing the books.
“Listening to each other’s stories is the best way to initiate the building of strong communities. Everyone in Portland shares a story of both living together in this city and remembering where we came from. I look forward to those stories coming out when we read ‘I’m Your Neighbor, Portland’ books together.”
-Pious Ali, founder of Maine Interfaith Youth Alliance
Please share this event with your friends and colleagues!
DOWNLOAD a Flyer/Poster to Share
SHARE the event with friends on Facebook.
Stories build understanding.
Understanding weaves together neighborhoods.
Neighborhoods make our city.
Support the sharing of stories of Maine’s “new arrivals” and the cultural fabric of the City of Portland.
Contribute to the I’m Your Neighbor, Portland city-wide read project. Together the city will read eight books set in Maine’s “new arrival” communities and discuss the commonalities between neighbors.
A donation of $112 will put one set (8 titles) of the Featured Books into the community to be given away at I’m Your Neighbor, Portland events and on stops throughout the year on The Portland Public Library Bookmobile.
Any amount, though, is welcome and can be given here.
Are you a business or can give more? Explore the sponsorship benefits here.
(All donations flow through our fiscal sponsor, The Portland Public Library.)
Photographer: Shawn Patrick Ouellette
I’m Your Neighbor, Portland is delighted by the arrival of The Portland Public Library’s Bookmobile! Over the next year, we will be providing programming for the bookmobile using the Featured Books and hopefully giving these books away as part of the programming.
To help distribute free I’m Your Neighbor, Portland books to Portland readers, please consider Sponsoring Free Book Distribution.
Hear what The Portland Public Library has to say about the Bookmobile and neighborhoods:
“This is a critical development in the life of the Library and how we create a presence in each City neighborhood. It is vitally important that we go to people – where they live, work and recreate – in order to accomplish our goal of creating a City of Readers!…
The bookmobile will target families, particularly those with young children, in neighborhoods that are not currently served by a branch of the Portland Public Library system, and will enable the Library to be a presence in all city neighborhoods.”
The American Library Association named the I’m Your Neighbor, Portland featured book, The Good Braider (Amazon Children’s Books) a A YALSA Best Ficton for Young Adults Book, 2013. Congratulations to author Terry Farish!
The city of Portland looks forward to engaging in a conversation about The Good Braider on July 11, 2013 at the Portland Public Library. More info here.
Illustration from A PATH OF STARS
The I’m Your Neighbor, Portland featured book, A Path of Stars by Anne Sibley O’Brien (Charlesbridge Publishers) has been named a Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2013. The award is a cooperative project of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and the Children’s Book Council (CBC).
The picture book set in Portland’s Cambodian American community was also named an Honor Picture Book of the Asian Pacific American Award for Literature 2013. Winners of the 2013 Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature, which promote Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage and are awarded based on literary and artistic merit, have been selected by the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association.
The community is welcome at an event celebrating A Path of Stars and the Maine Cambodian community on August 10, 2013 at the Portland Public Library. More info here.
I'm Your Neighbor, Portland, Maine 