The following is a selection of the various initiatives implemented this week.

Urbana Free Library and Champaign Public Library
Illinois State University at Urbana-Champaign is located across the cities of Urbana and Champaign, thus taking the names of the two cities.
Both cities have public libraries, and we were able to visit both libraries.
First, we visited Urbana Free Library. One of the interesting activities is the “SEED EXCHANGE” initiative to distribute vegetable and flower seeds to visitors. They also accept donations of seeds harvested by visitors themselves. She explained that it has been very successful. The makerspace was also a large area with a laser cutter, 3D printer, game space, and music performance. The staff members who gave us a tour of the makerspace were available individually or in a style that allowed participants to teach each other about the equipment in the makerspace.
Next, we went to the Champaign Public Library. The librarians of the library gave us an explanation of the library in a meeting room through a very bright entrance with colorful creations hanging from the ceiling. I was overwhelmed by the wide variety of programs available from children to the elderly. The library also has a makerspace called “The Studio,” which naturally provides an environment for making things, playing music, podcasting, and playing games. I was surprised to find such a well-developed makerspace in a library in a city that is not necessarily large.

Tour to Springfield
We took a one-day tour to Springfield, the capital of Illinois.
Illinois is a state that celebrates Lincoln’s accomplishments, as evidenced by the slogan “Lincoln’s State” on the license plate of a car.
We toured a library with a collection of Lincoln-related materials and an adjoining museum. It was a rare opportunity for us to be introduced to rare and valuable materials with explanations, which is not easy to see. Both the library and the museum are places where visitors can learn about a wide range of topics, including the conditions of the time (details of the Civil War), Lincoln’s life, and his influence on the present. It should be noted that during our visit to the State Library, we had to evacuate to the basement for about an hour due to a tornado warning, which was also a valuable experience.

Tour to Arthur
We took a tour to Arthur, a district where many of the Amish, a people who strictly follow the Christian precepts, live.
I had heard of the Amish, but I had never really gotten to know them in detail, so it was a really good experience. First, we visited the local library. Although it is a small library in a small town, it is supposed to be a valuable source of information for people who basically have no electricity or means of communication on their own. We were able to see Amish people using the library when we visited.
We also had the opportunity to visit an Amish home. With no electrical appliances and surrounded by wooden furniture, the houses made us feel as if we were in a movie.The garage for baggies was also a surprise. The Amish use baggies as their basic means of transportation, and the house we visited had four baggies in storage.
I was reminded once again of the diversity of cultures and environments, including that of the Amish.

Lunch with a Library Buddy
My library buddy invited me to lunch and gave me the opportunity to talk with him about a number of things. My library buddy is Dr. Steve Witt, who is the head of the International and Area Studies Library. Having spent some time in Japan, and being of similar age and position, we had a great time talking about topics including cultural differences between libraries and the U.S. and Japan, as well as each other’s hobbies. There is one thing I learned from him at lunch. It is the phrase “Kokusai-shin” (international mind) by Inazo Nitobe, a modern Japanese educator and thinker. To be honest, I was familiar with Inazo Nitobe, as he was once used on a Japanese bill, but I did not know the word. When I checked “Kokusai-shin” on AI, I found that “Kokusai-shin” refers to “a spirit of going beyond mere interest in foreign countries and cultures to actively interact with other countries and cultures, deepening mutual understanding and contributing to world peace, based on a deep understanding of one’s own culture”. This is exactly what we are doing. I believe that the Mortenson Center’s programs are exactly what this “Kokusai-shin” is all about. I would like to learn more about Inazo Nitobe after I return to Japan.