By: Ann Marie Megoulas, Information Services Supervisor
Each May, during Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, we honor the lasting contributions that AANHPI communities have made in shaping our nation’s history and culture. Throughout the month, a variety of engaging and educational commemorative events will take place nationwide. You can learn about some of the ones planned for this year at https://asianpacificheritage.gov/.
To celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month on a more local level, consider visiting your local library, where you will find many books, eBooks, DVDs, and other rich resources on the topic. Here at Dauphin County Library System, you can also explore Asian Life in America, an expansive digital news archive covering the Asian American experience from the early 1700s to today.
Asian Life in America is a fully searchable database containing more than 35 million primary source documents. Updated daily, and drawing from nearly 19,000 U.S. and international news sources, Asian Life in America’s coverage is both timely and authoritative. Users can explore its content through a simple keyword search or dive deeper with over 700 expertly curated Suggested Searches, each organized by historical era and highlighting pivotal events, influential figures, and rich Asian American heritage. To learn more about this resource, click here to find and view a brief introductory video.
Hopefully, now that you know a little bit about what Asian Life in America offers, you will be inspired to explore this interesting and informative resource for yourself, and what better time than AANHPI Heritage Month to do so.
To find Asian Life in America, visit the Dauphin County Library System’s Research page at https://www.dcls.org/research/. Library members can access this resource from anywhere, at any time of day or night, by entering their library card numbers and PINs if prompted.
How might you make use of Asian Life in America in your AANHPI celebrations this year? Here are a few suggestions.
- Browse the suggested searches for an overview of the significant eras, events, and notable people.
- Find and read articles like Why It’s More Important Than Ever to Learn About the History of Filipino American Activism (October 20 ,2023, Republican – web edition)
- Compare immigration and citizenship policies throughout history. It is enlightening to see how laws and controversies have or have not changed over time.
- Search out and read articles featuring prominent Americans of Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander descent.
- Compare how various news media sources report on a specific topic. This resource draws from news outlets from around the world, including many Asian countries.
- Perform a search using the term AANHPI and view the related content.
The comprehensive coverage, background information, and context offered by this database can help users better understand how people of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander descent have helped define American society and culture. Exploring it can be a truly meaningful way to celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month!