By Chelsie Gohlmann

We are very fortunate to have such a diverse population in Ames! The university and various employers draw in international individuals and their families to relocate to our city – even if it’s just for a short while. It can feel overwhelming leaving your home country and even isolating when you move to a new place with little support or friends. I feel very strongly about uplifting the international residents in our community and giving them a welcoming space to meet with others adjusting to life away from their home countries. The library will be hosting a new program called International Student and Family Meetup, where fellow international residents can gather for fun activities and culture-sharing. This month we will have origami, coloring, and yard games. The program will be held every 2^nd Tuesday of the month, starting on September 12^th from 4:30-5:30pm. The YWCA-Ames ISU will be partnered with the library for this program.

The library has other great programming and materials that may be appealing for international residents in our community! We have Conversation Circles in English, Spanish, German, Chinese, Russian, and French that are held regularly. During the Conversation Circle, participants converse together in the specified language. All levels of proficiency are welcome! We also have an Arabic storytime that is held the 2^nd Saturday of every month. It’s a wonderful opportunity for children and families to immerse themselves in stories, songs, and all things fun about Arabic culture. As far as materials at the library, we have many world language films and tv shows to choose from. We have a growing world language book collection in both our youth and adult areas in a variety of languages. There are a number of ESL (English as a second language) materials available to help if you are on a journey to improve your English skills.

I am truly looking forward to continue expanding on what we have to offer our international residents – starting with the International Student and Family Meetup. Stay tuned!