Not only have we welcomed a large
number of new members in the past few months, we have also greatly expanded our
collection of materials, and are busy coordinating some interesting events for
the coming weeks.
When the Chiang Mai branch of The
Best Friend Library opened at the beginning of the year, we started with a
small collection of around 150 books. As of today, we have more than 500 titles
— 541 to be exact! (See below to see how the numbers break down by type of
materials, and also see the attached file for the complete list.)
We would never have been able to
expand so quickly if it were not for some very generous donations from several
of our members and local organizations. Your donations of books and reports
have enabled us to diversify our collection, and your monetary donations have
made it possible to buy many new books — including many old and rare books
purchased inside Burma last month that will be on the shelves very soon. Thank
you to everyone who has helped us!
In the near future we will be
holding several interesting events. The first is the “Peace Walk 2010“,
which will be held in Mae Sot next Sunday, 30 May. That date is also the
one-year anniversary of the Mae Sot branch, so we are hoping to have a
celebratory live concert at the conclusion of the walk. If you are able to make
it down to Mae Sot, you will not be disappointed. See the attached flyer for more information.
On Saturday 12 June, Ashin Sopaka
and I will be giving a presentation for the Chiang Mai Expats
Club at the
Shangri-La Hotel on Chang Klan Road, Chiang Mai. Ashin Sopaka will discuss the
current political situation in Burma, and I will discuss my ideas about tourism
in Burma and what foreigners can do to help people in Burma both from inside
and outside the country. It is possible that we will also hold another
screening of “Burma VJ” in the evening if a proper venue can be confirmed.
Finally, Chiang
Mai will be the host of two days full of Burma events on 19 and 20 June.
A coalition of groups and organizations are planning a large event in honor of
Aung San Suu Kyi’s 65th birthday on 19 June, and the library will host an
all-day “Arrest Yourself Burma Teach-In” on 20 June. We are lining up a full
schedule of speakers, presentations, short documentaries, and a few surprises.
You will definitely hear more about these events as the dates approach.
If you would like more
information about the library or any of our upcoming events, do not hesitate to
contact us. Likewise, if you have any ideas or suggestions for our activities
in June, please share them. Lastly, please visit The Best Friend’s website
(www.thebestfriend.org) regularly for many engaging articles, essays, and
interviews.
Take care, and hope to see you at
the library soon!
Sincerely,
Garrett Kostin
The Best Friend Library – Chiang Mai
28 Nimmanhaemin Road, Chiang Mai
Garrett Kostin
The Best Friend Library – Chiang Mai
28 Nimmanhaemin Road, Chiang Mai
