By Amanda Bosch
Rowan Public Library

Since 1978, Americans have been celebrating Asian Pacific Heritage Month in May. May was chosen for its significance to the Asian American community. In May 1843, the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the United States. Over 20 years later, in May 1869, the first spike was driven into the Transcontinental Railroad which was finished using Chinese labor.

Rowan Public library has many resources to help you celebrate Asian Pacific Heritage month, whether it is part of your genetic heritage or just a culture you hope to learn more about. For children, check out “Asian-American crafts kids can do!” by Sarah Hartman. This is a great opportunity to get children involved in learning about and celebrating another culture. There are also children’s books by authors like Allen Say. A Japanese-American writer, “Grandfather’s Journey,” one of his most famous titles, remains one of my perennial favorites. Linda Sue Park, a Korean-American author, also has some wonderful titles you can find in our public library like “Project Mulberry” or “Bee-bim bop!”

For adults, you may want to try your hand at creating food from one of a number of Asian cultures. From “Korean Food Made Simply,” by Judy Joo to “Authentic Vietnamese Cooking,” by Corrine Trang, just search the catalog for the type of Asian food you would like to cook and many options will come up. If you need help searching the catalog, there are always librarians ready to assist you — whether by phone or in the library.

If a visit to the library doesn’t fit into your schedule but you have a smartphone or computer, you may want to check out asianpacificheritage.gov, where you can discover online events, discussions, performances and resources from the Library of Congress, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institute and United States Holocaust Museum as these groups pay tribute to generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have made America home.

Amanda Bosch is a librarian at the Rowan Public Library.