Sources: Lori A. Goetsch, 785-532-7492, lgoetsch@k-state.edu;
and Tom Mahoney, 785-532-7202

Friday, Jan. 16, 2009

INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE OF PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION AVAILABLE AT K-STATE'S HALE LIBRARY; K-STATE STUDENT UNION, ALPHA PHI ALPHA TO HOST INAUGURATION WATCH PARTY

MANHATTAN -- Kansas State University is offering two special opportunities to watch the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama on Inauguration Day, Tuesday, Jan. 20.

The K-State Libraries will offer international coverage of the inauguration, while the K-State Student Union and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity will host an inauguration watch party. Both events are free and open to the public.

The K-State Libraries' inauguration coverage also serves as the opening event for expanded services at the libraries' Dow Chemical Multicultural Resource Center.

Ongoing inauguration coverage will be available in the center, on the third floor of Hale Library, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Coverage will rotate among the eight international networks offered by K-State's cable television service: ART, the Arabic network; BBC America; CCTV-4 of China; TV5 of France; TV Asia; TV Japan; TVK of Korea; and Univision, the Spanish-language network. Coverage of the actual inauguration ceremony will be at 10:30 a.m. and will be from BBC America.

"As K-State Libraries look ahead, we want to make sure that we are responding to the need of the university community for multicultural resources and programming," said Lori A. Goetsch, dean of the libraries. "The inauguration of a new president gives us an excellent opportunity to kick off our efforts to create community space for teaching and learning about the reality of human diversity, the changing landscape of American demographics and the impact of globalization."

Additional Inauguration Day events being offered by K-State Libraries include American news coverage broadcast in the east end of the second floor of Hale Library, and a display of inauguration-related materials in the Government Publications area on Hale's third floor.

At the watch party sponsored by the K-State Student Union and Alpha Phi Alpha, inauguration events can be viewed on the big screen in Forum Hall, which is on the Union's ground floor. The schedule includes:
* 9 a.m. Coverage begins
* 10 a.m. Overview by Alpha Phi Alpha
* 10:30 a.m. Inauguration ceremony begins
* 11:00 a.m. Oath of office
* 1:30 p.m. Parade

More information on the watch party is available by contacting Tom Mahoney at 785-532-7202.