Cranston, RI, Library Gets Chinese Collection Thanks to University of Rhode Island

Confucius Institute at URI gift acknowledges growing Chinese American population in city

-- Library Journal, 02/05/2010

• Materials in English and Mandarin
• Books and DVDs
• LIS graduate student also will be part of collaboration

In an unusual example of collaboration between a local university and a public library, the Cranston Public Library, RI, will be given a Chinese collection—more than 1100 items valued at $30,000—from the Confucius Institute at the University of Rhode Island, Kingston.

The collection, according to the library, will include books and DVDs in English and Mandarin, covering business, history, politics, culture, cooking, and philosophy, as well as materials for people who want to learn Mandarin. The collection will be placed both at the Central Library and the Auburn branch.

Cranston has a growing Chinese American population; its numbers nearly tripled in less than a decade. In November, Chinese American Allan Fung was elected city mayor; he is the state's first Asian-American mayor.

Also, the library will host a graduate student from the newly created Certificate in Chinese and Global Information Services, which is to be approved by the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Library and Information Studies.