In partnership with the American Anthropological Association (AAA), the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office is seeking sites to host World on the Move: 250,000 Years of Human Migration, a national exhibition that aims to help people appreciate migration histories — their own and those of others — by drawing on a wealth of case studies from across human history and the breadth of cultures.
Amarillo Public Library has been selected as one of only fifteen libraries in the entire United States to host the traveling exhibition, World on the Move: 250,000 Years of Human Migration. The exhibit, developed by the American Anthropological Association and the Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, will open at the Downtown Amarillo Public Library on May 8 and close on June 16.
Director of Library Services Amanda Barrera says being chosen to host the exhibition is a tribute to the work of the Amarillo Public Library team. “Application for World on the Move was a competitive, peer-reviewed process, with only fifteen libraries in the country earning the chance to host, so our selection is indeed an honor. APL has been supporting Amarillo’s immigrant and refugee communities for more than a decade through English as a Second Language and Citizenship classes and we are excited to create an opportunity for Amarillo to learn more about issues surrounding migration.”
By presenting case studies from across human history and an array of cultures, World on the Move invites visitors to recognize that migration is a complex and diverse shared human experience. The exhibition aims to expand the public conversation on the topic of migration and displacement.
Youth Services Coordinator Melody Boren wrote the application and will serve as project lead while the exhibition is in place. “We are thrilled to be an exhibition site for World on the Move, which looks at questions surrounding migration: why do people move? where do we come from? We hope that people in our community will find this engaging and informative and share their own stories of migration.”
As part of the exhibition, Amarillo Public Library received a stipend to present programming related to the topic of migration. A complete schedule of events and programs will be available when the exhibition opens.
The exhibition will be free and open to the public during regular library hours.
