2005-04-07 Human Relations Advisory Committee Minutes

Home Browse Search

W HUMAN RELATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES April 7, 2005 7:30PM at Police Station First Floor Community Room Present: Margaret Soli, Chair, Chief R. Silva, Nancy Namji, Newly appointed Chief J. Cormier and P. Kelley members. Retiring Chief Bob Silva introduced the newly appointed chief Jim Cormier to the committee. Congratulations and thanks were extended to Bob on his retirement and to Jim on his appointment which is expected to be effectuated about May10. Elizabeth Dickinson, Assistant Director of the Library addressed the committee and explained the community language grant made to the library to support the acquisition of material in languages other than English and the library's work in carrying out the grant. The library in the past had no,such material. They surveyed the census figures and found that,while there was not a large foreign speaking population, there has been a relative large increase increase in the population particularly in Chinese (Mandarin speaking), Indian (Hindi/Bengali) and Spanish populations. The Asian population increased by 122.5% and the Hispanic by 29.9% from 1990 to 2000 while the Caucasian population decresed by 3%.The increase in the Hispanic population was not captured.The library is intended to serve all so that it is acquiring material in these languages. It has additionally acquired some French and Russian magazines and newspapers. She recited some of the adventures involved such as how to find publishers of such material which can meet lirary standards to meet the wear and tear of use at a library and also some of the requests from non-English speakers such as for a Chinese novel for one's elderly parents, films in Bengali, videos for a person's grandchildren to learn about their Hispanic heritage and for a picture book in Arabic.. There has been a lot of interest in Chinese material. The library has an advisory committee to assist it and experienced members of the staff. The Library also intends to offer some new programs in the area such as a foreign language film series, conversation circles, a bilingual story hour program for children and multicultural programs for adults. It also is planning a summer reading program of adventures around the world. She distributed a handout entitled "Responding To Our Diversity". Margaret Soli called to the attention of the committee a program in Winchester concerning bullying in which a video was shown to the middle school nad then to adults accompanied by handouts concerning available books on bullying. There was further discussion about Anytown and the Rotary clubs offer to pay for sending two applicants. Nancy will work with Margaret to obtain applications. There has been a Reading student who attended the program in the past, Ashley Jefferson, who speaks highly of it. Margaret also reported on an issue raised by the high school Republucan Club on "political correctness". Ashley arrainged for a panel to to discuss it. I's ail Margaret reported on METCO lobby day and the effort to obtain more funding, particularly for buses. She will telk further with Wila about the status.