May is Asian American Pacific Islander Month, and we are kicking off the celebration Saturday, May 7, with an afternoon of music, poetry and dance with Arise Dance in Church Square Park. Then on Monday, May 9, our own Ms. Nicole will show you how to make scallion pancakes. And then, on May 12, I am proud to join a panel discussion with Make Us Visible NJ, an organization that's leading efforts to mandate teaching AAPI history in our public schools.
Continuing the theme, on Monday, May 23, I am hosting an in-person "AAPI Book Club" to discuss "RISE: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now." And on May 31, our Family FUNday welcomes children's author and illustrator Yangsook Choi who will tell us how the power of imagination helped her create her marvelous books.
I hope you'll join us for these lively and (yes) educational celebrations.
The COVID pandemic continues to challenge many in our community in some fundamental ways. To meet these needs, we are offering free Hygiene Kits, as well as Period Care Packages, at the Library at 500 Park Avenue, the Branch at 124 Grand Street, and at the Learning Center, 401 Harrison Street. These personal-care items are free, no questions asked. Get them at the service desk. And, please, if you know of someone in need of these items, let them know about this.
Have you seen the City’s plan for a branch Library in the proposed Uptown Municipal Center? We recently held a Public Listening Session that lays out the benefits of a “North Branch,” and we got a lot of great comments. Take a moment to watch the presentation, and then we’d like to hear from you.
Look for us at Sunday’s Hoboken Arts & Music Festival. We’ll have lots of cool stuff to show and share. We’re on the east side of Washington Street, just above Fifth. I look forward to seeing you there.
̶̶ Jennie Pu
Library Director
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Here are details on our AAPI events |
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Saturday, May 7, at 3 pm
Church Square Park
Come enjoy Arise, an AAPI Month celebration featuring choreographer and dancer Amita Batra, who is forging an exciting new body language that merges ballet/contemporary, and Kathak, the Indian classical art of storytelling. Watch Amita and her talented troupe fuse Eastern and Western dance traditions in a dazzling display. A Q&A will follow. It's a great event, free and open to all ages.
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Monday, May 9 at 11:30 am
Learn how to make delicious scallion pancakes for AAPI month with Ms. Nicole! Ms. Nicole will be demonstrating how to make scallion pancakes Live on the Library's Facebook page.
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A panel discussion about teaching AAPI history in
New Jersey's public schools
Thursday, May 12, at 7 pm
Via Zoom
Members of Make Us Visible NJ, a coalition of students, parents, educators and community members, speak about the organization and its successful effort to mandate the teaching of Asian American and Pacific Islander history in New Jersey’s public schools.
Panelists include MUVNJ board members Dr. Kani Ilangovan, NYU professor Ying Lu, New Jersey educator Sima Kumar, Hoboken Public Library Director Jennie Pu, and student advocate Christina Huang who will discuss how the organization advocated for the passage of the AAPI Curriculum Bill in addition to the bill establishing the Department of Education Commission on Asian American Heritage.
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Saturday, May 14, 2 pm - 4 pm
Come celebrate AAPI month at the Hoboken Public Library with a KPOP dance party! All ages welcome! Meet us at the gazebo.
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Monday, Mary 23, at 6 pm
HPL's Small Program Room
You're invited to a unique book club event, for AAPI Month! Library Director Jennie Pu will discuss RISE: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now.
If you are interested in joining in on the discussion, please email Nicole Marconi to request a copy. Copies of the book are available online and in print. Print copies of the book will be available at the Access Services Desk at the Main Branch (500 Park Avenue).
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Tuesday, May 31, at 10 am
Via Zoom
Join acclaimed children's book author and illustrator Yangsook Choi as she takes you through the creative process of bookmaking. How it starts with the power of imagination, the challenges of writing and rewriting, storyboarding, and illustrating, and how her problem-solving skills helped her create books loved by children around the globe.
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Save the date: Saturday, June 11.
It’s the kickoff of “Mile Square Summer Reading.”
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