Jeanine Collins inaugurates America[at] your library in Herborn Larger photo

IMeNS goes America: PAO Jeanine Collins inaugurates America@yourLibrary Partnership with Network of Media Centers
September 4, 2008. On September 4th, Public Affairs Officer Jeanine Collins officially inaugurated the U.S. Consulate's America[at]yourLibrary partnership with the media centers of Hesse's Lahn-Dill-District (IMeNS) at the Johanneum Gymnasium in Herborn.  She described America@yourLibrary as a partnership initiative between the U.S. Embassy and public libraries in Germany.  The 200 students, teachers and journalists in attendance were very impressed by the wide network of partner libraries in Germany and that First Lady Laura Bush herself had personally inaugurated two other America@yourLibrary partnerships while accompanying President George W. Bush on trips to Germany. Ms. Collins donated American books on a variety of topics, including sports, literature, children's literature, and the elections. In addition, she presented a check in the amount of €2,500 for the acquisition of new multimedia teaching modules to Simone Vetter and Meike Lauer of IMeNS. IMeNS, the “Information and Media Network of the Media Centers and Schools” of Hesse’s Lahn-Dill-District, is responsible for media selection, online services and teacher trainings for nearly 100 schools, covering some 40,000 students from all school types ranging from elementary schools to “Gymnasiums” to vocational schools. Photo Gallery

After the inauguration ceremony that was framed by English songs of the school choir, consulate officer Clarence Davis gave a presentation on the U.S. elections.  He engaged the students in a lively discussion about the differences of U.S. and German elections, the electoral college, the primary system and campaign financing. 

America[at]yourLibrary is based on the American Library Association’s @yourlibrary® campaign which showcases libraries as centers for learning, information and entertainment in their communities. Libraries can also play a special role in connecting people and opening doors to different cultures. The Information Resource Centers in the Embassy and Consulates work with German libraries to select books and other information material on the United States appropriate to local information needs - but America@yourLibrary is more than a book donation project. We bring American authors and other experts to Germany to read from their works. In the area of school-library cooperation, we offer seminars for teachers, educational advising workshops, and story hours.