Viljandi

The Embassy of the United States in Estonia is very pleased to announce the opening of Estonia's first "American Corners" at the city libraries of Narva and Viljandi this month.

These projects represent investments of over 300,000 EEK in each of these two libraries, and months of close cooperation between the library staffs in Narva and Viljandi and the U.S. Embassy's Information Resource Center.

Each American Corner has acquired a collection of approximately 500 new reference, fiction, and non-fiction books that span the broad range of U.S. culture and history. Furthermore, each Corner is gaining new subscriptions to U.S. periodicals, as well as a collection of videotapes and CD-ROM's. The Embassy has plans to hold occasional speaking events at these Corners as well.

U.S. Ambassador to Estonia Joseph DeThomas is fond of saying that the U.S. Embassy is not just for Tallinn, but for all of Estonia. These two American Corners are tangible proof of this.

In Narva, Mayor Tarmo Tammiste, Ambassador DeThomas and Vice Chancellor of Ministry of Culture Anton Pärn will speak at the opening ceremony at 14:00, on Wednesday, March 24.

In Viljandi, Minister of Education and Science Toivo Maimets, Mayor Malle Vahtra, and Ambassador DeThomas will speak at that Corner's opening event at 14:00, on Tuesday, March 30.

Additional information available from U.S. Embassy Information Resource Center Director Vaiko Sepper, tel. 668-8216, SepperV@state.gov