Multicultural Programs for Tweens and Teens

November 1, 2010

This volume collects projects from students at the School of Library and Information Science at the University of South Florida. They outline several programs that librarians can use with their patrons to introduce different cultures. Each entry lists objectives, target age ranges, costs, activities, and a reading list. Within these parameters, there is a wide range of programs and quality. Some outlines are extremely detailed, include handouts, and walk readers through preparation, sometimes in too-great detail. Others are too vague, and many programs will require modification. For instance, one film series lists mostly R-rated movies, and several programs exceed two hours. Many of the reading lists require resources that are out-of-date or not age appropriate. A reading-club program recommends that 12- to 13-year-olds read the adult title Bless Me Ultima (TQS Publications, 1972); another recommends a 22-year-old book to describe modern teenage life in Japan. One list of books on African-American music focuses on artists who were popular in the mid-1990s. Despite the requisite alterations required to employ many of these programs, the volume contains several good ideas.-Jennifer Rothschild, Prince George's County Memorial Library System, Oxon Hill, MD

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