The Monique Calixte Library has been selected to house an American Corner since late 2008, following an agreement signed by the U.S Embassy in Haiti and FOKAL. The American Corner is named after Harold Courlander, an American ethnomusicologist from the 30’s, a suggestion of James Ellickson-Brown, then Counselor for Public Affairs of the American Embassy in Port-au-Prince. The American Corners (AC) program is a United States Department of State-sponsored initiative inaugurated worldwide more than 10 years ago. The main function of American Corners is to make information about the United States available to foreign publics at large. They provide access to current and reliable information about the U.S. via book, video, DVD collections, the Internet and through local programming to the general public. There are almost 400 corners in 60 countries all around the world under this program.
Even though the agreement was signed since 2008, the opening was delayed for the set up of the Corner. The earthquake damaged part of the FOKAL building that is currently under repairs. Before the official opening of the American Corner “Harold Courlander”, one experimental activity will start with the employees of the Monique Calixte Library and FOKAL : the English conversation club. The purpose is to invite those who would like to practice their English skills. When the library will be officially reopened to the public after the repairs, the club will be by then well established and ready to receive new members.
