Olivia Henrikson and Gabe Vasquez, classmates at Crossroads School in Santa Monica, CA, traveled to Deschapelles to create a short documentary on education in Haiti for their senior project. Olivia, the great granddaughter of Larry and Gwen Mellon, founders of Hospital Albert Schweitzer in Deschapelles, has traveled several times to Haiti with her parents and grandmother, Jenifer Grant. Olivia went on to Amherst College and Gabe to Yale University. Many thanks to Olivia and Gabe for this engaging and informative film. To see the film, please click below.
Learn more about Haiti!!
Want to know more about Haiti? The Essex Library now has a “Haiti Shelf” just opposite the circulation desk. There are fiction and non-fiction books about the history, culture, and people of Haiti. Come check it out! The Essex Library is located at 33 West Avenue in Essex, Connecticut. For hours and more information about the Essex Library, please click here.
Library Photo Album
Please enjoy the following photos that provide a better picture of the library and all that goes on there. The photos have been divided into the following categories. Click on the category that may particularly interest you and scroll over the photos for a description of the photo.
Activities at the Library
The Staff
The Building-Exterior
The Building-Interior
Planning and Construction
Activities at the Library
Reading at the library
Computer lab
A workshop at the library
Handwashing demonstration in front of the library
Lending books using book bags made by volunteers in Essex
Book buddies at the library
Story hour
Researching under the lights
Using manipulatives at the library
Starting to use the library in a “soft opening”
Exploring books
Exploring the world
Sharing a story
Studying
Big sister helping
Entering the world of the internet
Studying homework
Studying
A workshop
Community members researching
Studying
Beauties and their books!
Look at this!
Story hour hosted by Jenifer Grant
The Staff
Anny Frederique flanked by librarians Odverne Charles and Besly Belizaire
Besly Belizaire, Librarian and Administrator
Librarian Plerette Mervil cataloguing books
Librarian Euliciane Fleurisma keeping the shelves tidy
David Evangelisti, Besly Belizaire (librarian), Anny Frederique (ODES & Library Conseil), Terry Parkinson, Rachel Pierre (FOKAL), Kathleen Maher, Fritz Garcon (ODES & Librarian Conseil)
Hard at work
Luquece Belizaire, ODES President
Besly helping a patron
Pleret organizing
Besly checking the tablets
Charles Odverne, former librarian
Researching under the lights
Volunteers who organized a French Club and English Club
Librarians addressing the community
Many thanks to FOKAL. Training the librarians at FOKAL: Besly Belizaire (librarian-in-training), Erick Toussaint (FOKAL), Charles Odverne (librarian-in training))
SCEH and Librarians at a work session
Collaboration between ODES and SCEH. Conseil member Ti Will top row second from right
The Building-Exterior
Bibliothèque Communitaire Deschapelles
A well-lit place to study
Eaves to protect against the rain
Shutters provide security
The cupola is a passive ventilation system
The gatehouse contains the water pump, generator, storage and a guardhouse
Patrons first visit the guardhouse.
Screens to protect against mosquitoes
The front room
Fer forger (decorative iron work).
Colorful latrines behind the library
The “twalet pou fem”
Electricity is a rare commodity in Deschapelles
The entry
The Building-Interior
The librarian’s area in the center of the study area
Community members gather for the opening ceremony
Computer lab
Shelves awaiting more books
Discover Toussaint Louverture: a hero of Deschapelles
Starting to use the library in a “soft opening”
Bibliyotek Communitaire de Deschapelles (the Community Library of Deschapelles) opened in January 2016.
Planning and Construction
The need: Students studying under street lamps
The need: Children studying inside an abandoned building before the library was built
The need: Before the library was built: finding an abandoned chalkboard in an abandoned building to practice schoolwork
The need: Trying to study under dim lights while fighting mosquitoes
Planning: Members of ODES and SCEH working together
Locating the land: ODES and SCEH surveying possible sites for the library
Finding the land: Discussing the library, Lessor and Terry Smith, Chair of SCEH Library Committee
Land found: Lease signing
SCEH Board members and lessor at the signing of the land lease for the library
A full-roofed gatehouse, August 2014
The site for the library
Architect: Hope Proctor, Terry Smith and ODES Library Committee visiting the site for the library
Hope Proctor, Terry Smith and the ODES Library Committee collaborating on the design of the library
Architectural schematic
Interior floor plan of proposed library
First steps: Building the perimeter fence
Laying out the foundation
Digging the foundation
Digging the foundation for the Deschapelles library
Men and women are employed
In the meantime: A library without walls: reading to young children program
Many thanks to FOKAL. Training the librarians at FOKAL: Besly Belizaire (librarian-in-training), Erick Toussaint (FOKAL), Charles Odverne (librarian-in training))
In Essex, raising money for books: Susan Carpenter of Tri-Town Rotary seeking supporters for the library project
Building needed ancillary buildings
John Chew (Construction Oversight), Anny Frederique (ODES), Luquece Belizaire (Construction Manager), Jenifer Grant, Terry Smith, Dan Taylor-Stypa, Belsy Belizaire (ODES), David Evangelisti at the library site, 1/27/13
FOKAL supports: Elizabeth Pierre Louis and Erick Toussaint (FOKAL), Terry Smith, Jenifer Grant, Dan Taylor-Stypa, John Chew (Library Construction Supervisor), Anny Frederique (ODES), David Evangelisti
Many people in town helping with the building
Laying the foundation
The foundation is dug
Pouring the foundation
Full employment at the library
Rebar to âme this hurricane and earthquake proof
The foundation is complete
Progress
The walls are going up!
Progress!
Great progress on the library!
Making progress!! October status
October status!!
Construction as of October 15, 2013
Interior of the library-October 15, 2013
Ceiling of the gatehouse
Excited children in front of the library.
FOKAL on-site, February 2014
A planning meeting
Architect Hope Proctor pointing out the library in February 2014
The cupola on the library!
Deschapelles Library March 2015
“Fer forge” (decorative ironwork) in installed in the reading room
Librarians and others visiting the library.
Continuing work on the Deschapelles Library
Installing the windows
Bibliothèque Communitaire Deschapelles
Welcome to the Deschapelles Library! The front door.
Bibliyotek Communitaire de Deschapelles (the Community Library of Deschapelles) opened in January 2016.
Music Photo Gallery
Please enjoy the following photos that provide a better picture of the Music Project. The photos have been divided into the following categories. Click on the category that may particularly interest you and scroll over the photos for a description of the photo.
The need before the inception of the Music Project
Delivery of musical instruments and supplies
Workshops and Collaborative Musical Exchange
Fanfare Band and Members
The need before the inception of the Music Project
The state of instruments before the Music Project began
Another taped and patched trumpet
Delivery of Musical Instruments and Supplies
A new drum!
Jenifer Grant with a helicon ready to be transported to Deschapelles!
Jenifer Grant, Karen Birch Blundell, Dr. Liana Valente (both of Sigma Alpha Iota, Phyllis Greenberg, Stu Ingersoll, Kathleen Maher
Tandemeer delivering supplies to Haiti, including musical instruments!
Workshops and Collaborative Musical Exchanges
Alec Goodrich, Reid Kellogg and Fanfare performing at final concert
Fanfare & SCEH musicians rehearsing
Patricia Hurley, Nicholas Smith and members of Fanfare rehearsing
Musicians taking a bow after the concert
Patricia Hurley and Jenifer Grant
Paddy Hurley conducting
Beomi music “hall”
Roger LeCompte, trumpeter
Roger Le Compte, Nick Smith, Reid Kellogg, Jenifer Grant, Alec Goodrich, Patricia Hurley
Alec Goodrich
Nick Smith
Reid Kellogg
Practicing at Kay Ayiti
Practicing
Practicing
Fanfare Band and Members
A Fanfare Parade
Musicians
The Beginner Band using musical instruments donated by SCEH
Castillo St. Armand
Practicing
Frantson Charles, Jeremy Degras, Calizte Charles and Georges Petrix
Majorettes leading the way to the Performance!
New instruments and supplies!
On Parade
Fanfare performing at HAS celebration-June 2008
Musician with bass drum
Stephane
A new saxophone
Marcel Wilbert, trumpeter
Alix Pierre Marc-trumpet
Step-dancers
Denistyle Leonce, trombone
Fanfare band progressing to a concert
Duckenson St. Tilus
Abner Achoule, Director of Fanfare
Parade calling people to the Performance
Fanfare musician playing his new trumpet
Happy with his new instrument
Ready to play
Fanfare member with donated baritone
