Contacts:
703-324-8313
703-324-8300

Fairfax, VA - On Saturday, February 1, Fairfax County Public Library Foundation, Inc. (FCPLF) unveiled a new, special collection of Korean children's books made possible by a $20,000 grant from ExxonMobil. This 833-book collection, bearing gift bookplates in Korean, is the first of four ExxonMobil grants to build children's foreign language collections in Korean, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese.

"By supplying Korean materials, we help both Korean-speaking people as well as those who wish to learn more about the Korean culture," says Patrick J. Dexter, Community Relations/Contributions Advisor for ExxonMobil. Dexter also serves as the Chairman of Fairfax County Public Library Foundation. "Libraries are special entities where information is free to all in this country."

Fairfax County, where multi-ethnic residents of all ages cross cultures, is an ideal setting to present the new book collection and kick-off festivities to Celebrate the Year of the Ram. This took place at a special event on Saturday, February 1 at the George Mason Regional Library in Annandale. This free program, which was cosponsored by the Reunion Music Society, featured live performances of traditional Korean folk songs, fan dances, drumming and storytelling. Groups from the Korean American Cultural Center, Fairfax County Public Schools and other organizations performed. A reception with traditional Korean food followed.

The goal of FCPLF is to supplement the County's funding of Library books and materials, which has recently been reduced by a third. FCPLF invites private donations to meet the shortage of funding for books and increasing demands from those who live, work and study within the County. For information on how you can make a difference, please call the foundation at 703-324-8300, or e-mail .

ExxonMobil is a multi-national corporation that seeks to share cultural experiences among communities in which it operates. Over 3,000 ExxonMobil employees live and work in the Metropolitan DC/Northern Virginia area.

Fairfax County Public Library Foundation, Inc. is a private, nonprofit corporation committed to providing supplementary support to the Fairfax County Public Library. The Foundation, while reinforcing the need for continued and increased public support for the Library, serves as a catalyst for attracting private funding from individuals, businesses, organizations and foundations to enhance library services for our community.