Services for School Classes and English Courses Library Tours Library tours can be taken at any time, but they must be reserved in advance. We strongly recommend Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday morning, as the library is closed to the public at this time. Pupils will be introduced to the library and its collections and will be able to learn via hands-on practice how to research a subject or a title in the catalog, how to find a book on the shelves, etc. At the end the short film "Mr. Bean and the Library" may be shown. Plan to take about an hour's time—30 minutes for the tour itself and another half hour for the pupils to explore and browse on their own. We recommend giving the pupils library registration cards in advance so that they may be signed by their parents or guardians (we can send these to you per post). Then the pupils will be able to borrow books at the end of the tour. To make an appointment for a library tour, simply phone the library and tell us the number of pupils and their age level. Theme Packages We offer "packages" of literature and, when available, other media related to certain themes, which can be borrowed in entirety by a school class. For example: American Indians Nonfiction about native North Americans, fiction including narratives and Indian myths and legends. If desired the package can include the documentary video "The Native American Indian" (see Videos) and CDs with native American music. African Americans Nonfiction about the history of black people in North America, including biographies of black civil rights activists. Fiction including novels, stories, and poetry. If desired the package can contain the video film "Malcolm X" (see Videos) and the cassette "Words from the Frontline: excerpts from the great speeches of Malcolm X" and "The Autobiography of Martin Luther King" including the speech 'I have a dream...' Comics Because comics with their picture/text combination are easy to understand and because they are very popular with most children and teenagers, the theme package "Comics" is designed to inspires interest in reading English texts. Please order the theme packages at least two months in advance, as the books are taken from our lending collection and may already have been checked out. If you are interested in other themes, please contact the librarian, who will be happy to put together an individually designed package for your class. Class Reading Materials in English The American Library offers two American books for young people (20-30 copies) for reading in English class: The Giver by Lois Lowry, Houghton Mifflin, 1993, 180 pp. (John Newbery Medal for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children 1994) "The Giver" is set in a utopian society which separates its members completely from the negative aspects of life like pain and death. This society is governed by the principle of "sameness," individuality is not prized, and all important decisions are made by a "Committee of Elders." Only one member of the society, The Giver, maintains the memory of a world "back and back and back", our contemporary world. When The Giver passes his memories on to his successor, 12-year-old Jonas, the boy recognizes the drabness and superficiality of life in a society without the full spectrum of human experience, and he is determined to escape from the endless circle by challenging it. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier, Pantheon Books, 1974, 250 pp. "The Chocolate War" takes place in the realistic world of a New England High School with a proud tradition. Jerry Renault is the only pupil who refuses to participate in the annual fundraising chocolate sale, the pet project of a maniacally ambitious teacher supported by a school gang known as "The Vigils." For his resistance Jerry will be confronted with repression and violence. English Language Video Films The American Library currently has almost 500 video films in English. Most of these are movies in the original version; in addition there are documentary films about geography, history, and daily life in the U.S.A. (See Videos). If the film you want is not on our list, please check with us, as the video collection is constantly growing and the list may not be absolutely up to date. We recommend reserving video films two to three weeks in advance to be sure the films are not checked out on the desired date. For schools the usual lending period of one week can be extended.