Chinatown Storefront Library

The temporary library on 640 Washington Street has become one of the social gathering places for adults and children in the Chinatown community. The library offers free classes for children to enhance their skills, such as reading, and drawing. From time to time, it hosts festivals and events.

The library carries periodicals, newspapers, and books in both English and Chinese. Its staff even speaks both languages, allowing people who are not fluent in English to seek help more easily. Many students find the library helpful; they usually to do homework there. According to Amy Cheung, a staff who works at the library, a student even finds a history text book in the library. Also, computer stations can be easily found.

The library is a combination of learning and a socializing space  You can grab a book and start reading right away on a sofa or couch. If you prefer, you can also use computers to do research or just simply browsing around the internet. Often times, you will see little kids drawings or playing legos in a small room.  There is also a piano station in the back of the library where you can enjoy your little music world.

For more information on Chinatown’s Storefront Library visit their main website: http://www.storefrontlibrary.org/

-MeiHua Li, Oak Terrace Youth