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Meet Our New Officers

August 2011 Edition

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We welcome the new foreign Service Officers who have oversight responsibilities for the Lincoln Resource

Center and its network of Lincoln Corners across Malaysia.

Harvey Sernovitz

Embassy Information Officer

Effective July 26, 2011, Harvey Sernovitz took up the position of Information

Officer at the U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur. Previously, Harvey Sernovitz served

as CAO and IO in Dhaka (2007-2010), Consular Officer at the American

Institute in Taiwan-Taipei Office (2005-2007), and Political Officer in

Guangzhou, China (2003-2005).

Harvey‟s previous career was as a attorney focusing on tax and estate planning.

Before joining the Department of State in 2002, he worked for a mid-size law

firm in central Wisconsin as well for the international accounting firms Arthur

Andersen and Deloitte & Touche.

Harvey is married to Jo Ann Sernovitz and has three children, Jack (13), Zoe (9) and Gabriel (13

months). He is a graduate of Nicolet High School in Glendale, Wisconsin. He received his law degree from

the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1999 and a B.A. in East Asian Area Studies and International

Relations from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in 1995.

Rain Che Bian

Embassy Public Diplomacy Officer

Effective July 5, 2011, Rain Che Bian took up the position of Public Diplomacy

Officer at the U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur. Reporting to Harvey, Rain is a first-

tour officer sworn into the Foreign Service on May 2011.

Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Rain served as Community Outreach

Coordinator at a local non-profit organization, The Fresh Air Fund, working with

Chinese and Spanish-speaking immigrant families in New York City. She was

active in immigrant rights advocacy and public outreach through the office of

New York State Senator Jose M. Serrano. As a press intern, she also produced weekly online newsletters

for the House Ways and Means Committee, which exercises jurisdiction over revenue and related issues

such as tariffs, reciprocal trade agreements, and the bonded debt of the United States.

Rain is a graduate of Stuyvesant High School in New York City. She holds a B.A. from Columbia College

in Anthropology and Political Science, with a concentration in Hispanic Studies. She conducted fieldwork

in Puebla, Mexico, in 2008, on the subject of undocumented migration from Mexico to the United States.

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Sarawak—July

U.S. Science Envoy Teaches Younger Generation to Love Earth through Storytelling

U.S. Presidential Science Envoy Dr. Rita Colwell engaged more than 120 children, about 80 parents and

members of the public in a storytelling session at Lincoln Corner Sarawak on July 23. Dr. Colwell read

from Sesame Street‟s Let’s Help Earth, a title selected from the Lincoln Corner collection. The young

audience was charmed with the wonders of the natural world through Elmo‟s wide-eyed look at people,

plants, animals and the environment. More.

Visits

In July Pustaka Negeri Sarawak hosted briefings and tours of the Lincoln Corner for the following groups:

31 students and 4 teachers from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Sibu on July 16;

20 students and 5 teachers from Kreatif Kindergarten on July 16;

35 students and 15 educators from Dyslexia Association, Sarawak on July 23.

Storytelling and Video Screenings

Moon Shot: The Flight of Apollo 11 was featured in Lincoln Corner Sarawak‟s storytelling sessions in the

month of July in conjunction with the 42nd Anniversary of Apollo II landing in the moon. A Corner

librarian dressed as an astronaut engaged and encouraged the students to participate in reading. These

fun-filled and interactive sessions captivated about 100 students.

Thematic Exhibitions

Throughout the month of July Lincoln Corner Sarawak organized poster exhibits and book displays

featuring Independence Day and The Moon Landing. More than 780 people were attracted to these

exhibitions.

Dr. Colwell posing for a group photo with the children.

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Sarawak— June

Lincoln Corner Sarawak Promotes Playaways

Lincoln Corner Sarawak attracted more than 300 people including government officials, university and

high school students in their effort to promote Playaways prerecorded audio player during their Pustaka

1Malaysia launching on June 31.

Visits

In June Pustaka Negeri Sarawak hosted briefings and tours of the Lincoln Corner for the following

groups:

11 students and lecturers from Kolej Universiti Perguruan Ugama Bandar Seri Bagawan, Brunei

Darulssalam, on June 8;

15 students and 12 teachers from Kelab Pusat Sumber Sekolah Menengah Matu on June 9;

5 students from Arkib Negara Sabah on June 17;

15 members of Perak State Library Board on June 25;

11 officers from Majlis Kebajikan Sosial Sarawak on June 27; and

16 librarians from Perpustakaan Malaysia Kumpulan Timur, Universiti Sains Malaysia on June 28.

Storytelling and Video Screenings

Every Saturday in June, Lincoln Corner Sarawak organized storytelling sessions for about 80 young

children and selected Three Billy Goats Gruff, a colorful, humorous, classic tale from the Corner

collection.

Lincoln Corner Sarawak attracted about 150 people during their DVD screening sessions in the month of

June. The titles of DVDs that were screened include America’s Most Scenic Drives; A Life Among Whales;

American Wonders: National Parks of the West; Hoosiers.

Thematic Exhibitions

More than 680 people attended the Lincoln Corner Sarawak poster and book exhibitions on Father‟s Day

and International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in June.

Guests Exploring the Use of Playaways

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Sabah — June & July

The Lincoln Corner in Sabah has moved from its former location in the city center to the Sabah State

branch library in Penampang. The former building which housed the Corner is being demolished.

Successful U.S. Technopreneur Empowers Students in Sabah through Social Media

Ms. Cornelsen Engages Participants on the Impact of Social Media

Ms. Adrienne Palmer Cornelsen InSite Interactive President and CEO gave an impressive talk on

Pleasures, Perils and Pitfalls of Social Media at Lincoln Corner Sabah on June 27. More than 100

students, parents and teachers came to listen to Ms. Cornelsen speak on various social media tools and

the impact of social media. Participants who attended the program gained valuable insights in many

areas including the use of social media as an effective and efficient tool for networking.

Sabah State Library Promotes Lincoln Corner Products and Services

Students “scavenger hunt” at Lincoln Corner Sabah

Lincoln Corner Sabah organized a fun “scavenger hunt” activity to promote Corner products and services

on June 27. The participants explored and familiarized themselves with the rich collection at the Lincoln

Corner. The participants “hunted” for answers to questions prepared by the corner librarians by

exploring the print, multimedia and digital resources located in the library.

Lincoln Corner Sabah Roadshow in Penampang

On July 25, Lincoln Corner Sabah hosted an exhibition and educational activities to promote services and

products using Lincoln Corner materials. More than 200 students actively participated in the exciting

activities including coloring contests, storytelling and quizzes led by Corner librarians.

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Malacca — July

Imam Mohamad Bashar Arafat Speaks on Interfaith Engagement in the United States at

Lincoln Corner Malacca

On July 25, Lincoln Corner Malacca organized a program on “Interfaith Engagement in the United States”

at the Merlimau Branch of the Malacca State Public Library. In his first-ever program in Malacca, Imam

Mohamad Bashar Arafat, Founder and President of Civilizations Exchange and Cooperation Foundation

(CECF), spoke to 50 government officers and high school students. More

U.S. Fulbrighter Dr. Sean Foley at Lincoln Corner Malacca: “How Islam and Malacca Shaped the

West and the Modern World”

On July 23, in a presentation entitled “How Islam and Malacca Shaped the West and the Modern World”

at the Lincoln Corner in Malacca‟s State Public Library, U.S. Fulbright scholar Dr. Sean Foley spoke on the

positive contributions that Muslims and Islam have made to the West to a group of 50 academicians and

college students from around Malacca. More

DVD Screenings

For the month of July Lincoln Corner Malacca screened the following movies during their weekly video

screening sessions on Saturdays: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Cat in the Hat, The Journey to the

Edge of Universe and The Catwoman.

Thematic Exhibitions

In July, more than 200 library users viewed the Lincoln Corner Malacca poster and book exhibition on

Muslims in America.

Imam Bashar with Malacca students who listened to his experiences as an American Muslim.

Dr. Sean Foley engages college students.

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Malacca — June

Peter Pan and Snow White tales

On June 1, Lincoln Corner Malacca organized a storytelling session. A retired school teacher volunteered

and lead a group of 40 young learners to an informative and interactive storytelling session using „Peter

Pan‟ and „Snow White‟, two colorful, classic tales from the Corner collection.

DVD Screenings

In the month of June, Lincoln Corner Malacca screened the following movies during their weekly video

screening sessions on Saturdays: The Rosa Parks Story, The Squeakquel, Shrek 2 and Alice in

Wonderland.

Thematic Exhibitions

In the month of June more than 200 library users viewed the Lincoln Corner Malacca poster and book

exhibition on Father‟s Day.

A Volunteer actively engaging participants during Peter Pan Storytelling session.

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Kedah — July

Imam Arafat Presents “Islam in America” at Lincoln Corner Kedah

On July 21, Imam Mohamad Bashar Arafat, President of the Civilizations Exchange and Cooperation

Foundation (CECF), spoke on “Islam in America” to 182 college and high school students at the

Lincoln Corner Kedah in Alor Setar. He discussed the history of Islam in the United States and

current issues concerning Muslims in America. The college students were interested in the theology

of Islam, while the high school students were captivated by the activities of Muslim youths in the

United States.

Lincoln Corner Kedah Roadshow at Sekolah Kebangsaan Darul Aman Height

On July 18, Lincoln Corner Kedah organized educational activities at Sekolah Kebansgaan Darul Aman Height during their library roadshow at schools. Students actively participated in various educational

activities, namely word search and word scramble on United States symbols and the Lincoln Corner

collection.

Visits

In July, Lincoln Corner Kedah hosted briefing and tour of Lincoln Corner for the following group:

25 students and teachers from Maktab Rendah Sains Mara, Pedang on July 25.

DVD Screenings

In July, Lincoln Corner Kedah screened the following movies during their weekly video screening sessions

on Wednesdays: Shrek the Third, The Wiz, Wallace & Gromit: the Curse of the Were-Rabbit and Vantage

Point.

Thematic Exhibitions

More than 300 library users viewed the Lincoln Corner Kedah poster and book exhibition on Moon

Landing in the month of July.

Imam Arafat and PDO Rain Che Bian with college students in Alor Setar.

Participants engaged in the book detail activity. Participants engaged in the United States Symbols

word search activity.

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Kedah — June

Lincoln Corner Kedah Hosts U.S. Embassy English Enrichment Program

In partnership with the Kedah State Public Library, the Lincoln Resource Center organized yet another

popular English Enrichment Camp at Lincoln Corner Kedah on June 20. About 100 students

accompanied by nine teachers from 14 local schools in the vicinity of Alor Star, Kedah, participated in

this program. More

Lincoln Corner Kedah School Holiday Activities

In the month of June Lincoln Corner Kedah hosted several

school holiday activities.

On June 7, 35 children from around Kedah participated in

the Father‟s Day coloring contest and listened to a story,

The Gingerbread Man.

On June 11, 20 children from Kelab Bayan Budiman

participated in Father‟s Day coloring and craft activities led

by Corner librarians.

Visits

In June Lincoln Corner Kedah hosted briefing and tour of Lincoln Corner for the following group:

60 students and 4 teachers from Pokok Asam Primary School on June 9.

DVD screenings

For the month of June Lincoln Corner Kedah screened the following movies during their weekly video

screening sessions on Wednesdays: The Grinch Stole Christmas, The Dark Night, Bee Movie, The Twilight

Saga New Moon and Mickey’s Great Outdoors.

Thematic Exhibitions

More than 300 library users viewed the Lincoln Corner Kedah poster and book exhibition on International

Day Against Drug Abuse and Moon Landing in the months of June and July respectively.

American Interns Sarah Pak and Colin Rapson engage Malaysian students in English conversations.

Children from kelab bayan Budiman wearing their Father‟s Day crown.

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Penang - June & July

Students Echo “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” at Lincoln Corner Penang

Penang State Library for the first time hosted the fun-filled

English Enrichment Camp in collaboration with the Lincoln

Resource Centre at Lincoln Corner Penang for 90 students and

2 teachers on June 30. The two presenters, U.S. Embassy

Cultural Affairs Officer and Lincoln Resource Centre librarian,

engaged the students in lively activities ranging from

presentations on American sports, idiom expressions and

music; and group activities which includes creating team

cheers, storytelling, and games. More.

Visits

On June 10 Penang State Library hosted a briefing and a tour of the Lincoln Corner for about 50 students

from Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Kechil, Permatang Keling.

Storytelling and Video Screenings

Lincoln Corner Penang attracted about 100 people during their DVD screening sessions in the month of

June. They selected Enchanted, Avatar, Astro Boys and Pink Panther from the Lincoln Corner collection.

Thematic Exhibitions

Lincoln Corner Penang organized poster and book exhibitions on Father‟s Day and International Day

against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in June.

Penang State Library Showcases Lincoln Corner in “Merdeka” Campaign

On July 30, Lincoln Corner Penang reached out to more than

400 people through the “Merdeka” campaign, launched by the

Chief Minister of Penang, Mr. Lim Guan Eng at KOMTAR, the

famous landmark of Penang. Lincoln Corner Penang seized

this opportunity to exhibit corner materials including books,

multimedia, and periodicals at the booth. People who visited

the booth received brochures and flyers promoting products

and services of Lincoln Corner Penang.

Visit, Storytelling and Movie Screening

About 235 preschoolers from kindergartens in Permatang Binjai, Kampung Pelet, Sungai Dua and Kepala

Bukit visited Lincoln Corner Penang on July 28. The Lincoln Corner librarian engaged them through

various activities including storytelling, a coloring contest, a puppet show, and a Tom & Jerry DVD

screening.

Students enlivened during the rock, scissors, papers, game.

The Lincoln Corner booth at the “Merdeka” campaign.

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Kuala Lumpur -July

Public Diplomacy Officer Rain Che Bian Pays Courtesy Call on Lincoln Corner Staff

On July 8, the U.S. Embassy‟s new Public Diplomacy Officer Rain Che Bian and Lincoln Resource Center

Director Gerard George paid a courtesy call July 8 on Puan Norizam Abdul Ghani, the Senior Librarian of

the Kuala Lumpur Library, and Mr. Khairul Adly, the Librarian in charge of its Lincoln Corner. Rain was

impressed with the Corner‟s collection and the programming facilities available at the KL Library. She

indicated that the U.S. Embassy looks forward to working with the KL Corner in reaching out to as

many Malaysians as possible, especially given its close proximity to the Embassy and its central

location in downtown Kuala Lumpur.

Other Programs

Supported INTI College Subang with “Picturing America” photos to commemorate American

Independence Day on July 6; and

Supported the Raja Abdullah Secondary School (Kepong) with American costumes in celebration of

School Library Day on July 20.

PDO Rain Che Bian (center) with KL Corner staff

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Kuala Lumpur -June

U.S. Performing Arts Fulbright Mentors Kuala Lumpur Students

Forty-five secondary school students from the Victoria Institution (VI) attended a half-day seminar led

by U.S. Fulbright Scholar Jaki Bradley on the basics of drama on June 17 at the Lincoln Corner in Kuala

Lumpur. Jaki, a scholar and practitioner in the performing arts inspired the young students to consider

drama and the performing arts both for entertainment and as a career. She demonstrated, through the

use of short skits, the basics of acting, voice projection, and how to tell a story “with your body.”

Many of the young attendees found Jaki‟s advice, “be natural, relax and have fun” a new approach to

pursuing drama as a career.

U.S. Social Media Expert Adrienne Palmer Cornelsen Speaks to Students and Parents

On June 20, Adrienne Palmer Cornelsen, President and CEO of InSite Interactive, an emerging

information and communications corporation in the U.S., spoke to about 30 students and parents at

the Lincoln Corner about the “pleasures, perils and pitfalls of social media.” She promoted the learning

and use of social media among Malaysians for chat and for networking with people and organizations,

and gave sound advice on how to avoid dangers lurking in cyberspace. In her concluding remarks,

Cornelsen said that children should have the freedom to explore new technologies and advised parents

to be vigilant about their children‟s foray into social media platforms.

Other Programs

The KL Corner held a poster and book exhibition on National Parks on June 20;

Received the Director of the Goethe Institute and visiting librarians from Germany on June 21.

U.S. Fulbrighter Jaki Bradley (center) with VI students

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Kelantan — May, June & July

Lincoln Corner “Wheel of Knowledge” Program Captivated Young Learners

On June 25, Lincoln Corner Kelantan organized a program

titled “Pakat Maghi Pustakan Ramai-ramai”. The Corner

librarian hosted several educational activities, which included

“You are Smart” and “Wheel of Knowledge” using Lincoln

Corner resources.

Lincoln Corner Joins 1Malaysia Reading Campaign at Kota Bharu Teacher’s Training Institute

On July 13 and 14, Lincoln Corner Kelantan participated in

the Kota Bharu Teacher‟s Training Institute 1Malaysia

Reading Campaign. The campaign was launched by the

Director of the Kota Bharu Teacher‟s Training Institute.

Lincoln Corner Kelantan exhibited Corner materials

including books, multimedia, and periodicals at the booth.

Librarians distributed brochures and flyers promoting the

products and services of Lincoln Corner Kelantan to the

students and college teachers who attended the campaign.

Visits

On May 24, Lincoln Corner Kelantan hosted a tour of the Corner and

screened movie for 50 children from Tadika IQ Islam Taska Rohana.

Lincoln Corner Kelantan Knowledge Sharing Campaign with Orang Asli

On May 31, 150 Orang Asli participated in a knowledge

sharing program hosted by Lincoln Corner Kelantan at Pos

Gob, Gua Musang. The activities include motivational talk,

traditional dance and video screenings.

Participants engaged with the Wheel of Knowledge activity

Visitors browsing through the Lincoln corner collection

Children watching the video screening

Orang Asli at Pos Gob enjoying their outdoor movie screening

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ELECTRONIC PUBLICATIONS

eJournal USA: Educating Women and Girls | July 1, 2011

This issue of eJournal USA explores how international organizations, state

governments, the private sector and individuals in many different countries are

promoting education for women and girls and are improving people‟s lives. Read more

Full Text: PDF (2MB)

Global Water Issues | July 18, 2011

Global Water Issues explores the political, social and economic challenges

presented by threats to Earth‟s most vital natural resource. With a foreword by

U.S. Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero,

Global Water Issues describes how this ecological emergency affects population

centers, human health, climate and food security. Read more

Mosques in America: A Blending of Cultures | July 1, 2011

There are 1,900 mosques in the United States, representing many

different cultures and traditions. This is a sampler of that diversity.

More

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ramadhan Mubarak and Selamat Hari Raya to all our Muslim Readers

Essay Contest: Celebrating Diversity

Please share this information with as many youth as possible via your websites, social media

platforms and print copies.

English Essay Competition for Malaysian Youth

August 1 – August 31, 2011

The United States is often called a “melting pot” because it is “a nation of immigrants” who have

come from all corners of the earth to pursue the “American dream.” The United States and

Malaysia share many common characteristics, including diversity of its peoples and cultures. To

celebrate this concept of diversity, the Lincoln Corners in Malaysia (PDF 398KB) have created a

special essay competition for Malaysian youth to participate in and share their original thoughts,

expressed in English, on the subject. The winners will receive an iPod Shuffle for their English

essay based on library materials available at the Lincoln Corners. There are two categories,

Kennedy and Lincoln, in which youth may participate. More Information about this contest visit:

http://malaysia.usembassy.gov/essay_diversity-aug2011.html

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Forthcoming Programs

An Invitation to Join a Webchat Promoting EducationUSA and the U.S. Visa Application

Please encourage the students in your cities and library patrons to join a three panelist webchat

featuring Malaysian-American Commission on Educational Exchange (MACEE) Coordinators of

Advising Services, Doreen John in Kuala Lumpur and Barbara Nichols in Penang, and Vice-Consul

Neil Phillips representing the Embassy‟s consular section. The three panelists will discuss various

opportunities available for undergraduate studies in the U.S. and the procedures for applying for a

U.S. visa.

Details are as follows:

Date: August 24, 2011 (Thursday)

Time: 2.30 p.m.

How to join:

Click on this website: https://statedeptasia.connectsolutions.com/malaysia.

"Enter as a visitor" by simply typing in your name and selecting "Enter Room". You may login from

any Internet-ready laptop or personal computer, and from any location.

We would like to invite you to observe International Peace Day with us. International Peace Day

provides an opportunity to promote peace and to recognize the efforts of those who have worked

very hard to end conflict or war. The UN General Assembly in 2002 set September 21 as the a

permanent date for the International Day of Peace.

We encourage that you organize a creative and fun art or collage project for students and visitors of

your library beginning September 5, and ending by September 21. Invite the students or the

visitors to express “What is Peace?” by drawing, writing, or spray painting on a long piece of white

cloth or a piece of paper. Please consult this link for reference on event planning for International

Peace Day: http://internationaldayofpeace.org/your_peace_day.html.

Share your event with us by sending us a few pictures with a short blurb.

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REMINDERS

THEMATIC FOCUS

Lincoln Corner partners are reminded to support each month‟s theme by organizing posters and

exhibits of books and other library materials (including “playaways” and DVDs where relevant). In

addition please continue to schedule regular storytelling and video/movie screenings at the Lincoln

Corners. Speaker programs and webchats will be offered to you as they become available and we

look forward to your help and cooperation in using these initiatives to enhance Lincoln Corner

activities and library attendance. These programs are part of what we discussed at the December

2010 workshop in Kuching. You are welcome to add on any other initiatives. The thematic calendar

listed below will be useful in this regard.

August

Women‟s Equality Day (August 23)

Ramadan/Muslim Life in America (August 1-31 )

September

Labor Day (Sept 6)

International Literacy Day (Sept 8)

International Day of Peace (Sept 21)

October

Columbus Day (Oct 10)

Halloween (Oct 31)

November

Native American Heritage Month

Veteran‟s Day (Nov 11)

American Education Week (Nov 15-21)

Thanksgiving (Nov 26)

December

World AIDS Day (Dec 1)

Human Rights Day (Dec 10)

Christmas Day (Dec 25)

LINCOLN CORNER WORKSHOP

This will be held Oct 2-4 in Sabah. Please mark your calendars. Suggestions for the Agenda are

welcome.

LRC Newsletter Archive: LRC Newsletter Archive

L I N C O L N R E S O U R C E C E N T E R

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