One for the books

Psychology junior Tabitha Rodriguez said she appreciates the library for giving her all the knowledge and resources she needs to be successful, as well as providing her with a place to relax.

“The resources that they have helped [me] a lot,” Rodriguez said. “With research, it’s a lot easier than having to pay for everything.”

National Library Week kicks off today and students can expect a week of activities, including lotería, crafts and a poetry reading from author and journalist Bárbara Renaud González.

The events not only promote libraries, but also incorporate poetry in honor of National Poetry Month.

“National Library Week is a week each year that is used to celebrate libraries and their impact on our lives and society,” University Librarian Paul Sharpe said. 

This year’s theme is “Libraries Lead.” While it promotes reading and the use of libraries, it also encourages students to share their stories of how the library has impacted them.

“We want to know from the students, ‘How has the library led you to something of value?’” said Millie Hernandez, the Special Collections manager at the University Library on the Brownsville campus. “So, the question that will be on the board is, ‘How has the library led them in their lives?’ and they’ll be able to share their story.”

The first event today is a Book Face Promotion, which is an ongoing activity across both campuses where students can take creative pictures of themselves that showcase books.

“We’re going to have some book covers with different faces on them,” Hernandez said. “They’ll be able to pose with the covers, making the covers replace their face.”

It will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. at the library’s entrance in Brownsville and on the second floor commons of the library in Edinburg.

Also today, the Edinburg University Library will host a game of library lotería from 1 to 2 p.m in Classroom 1, while Brownsville will host another from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday in Instruction Room 1.118. 

Tuesday, the Brownsville library will host the Chachalaca Review, which is a yearly multicultural journal produced by UTRGV students, at 12:15 p.m. in Instruction Room 1.118.

In collaboration with the English and Mexican American Studies departments, González will recite poetry from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. Thursday in the Shary Room on the Edinburg campus.

She will also speak on the Brownsville campus at 1:30 p.m. Friday in Instruction Room 1.118.

González is an “important and dynamic Chicana/Latina voice tackling such hot-button subjects as racism, sexism, homophobia, immigration, and more,” according to a University Library flyer. She’s the author of the novel, “Golondrina, why did you leave me?” (University of Texas Press, 2010) and “Las Nalgas de JLo” (Aztlan Libre Press, 2017), which is a collection of columns, articles, reviews and poems.

Her works are humorous political satire on the “cultural and social justice issues of our times.”

“We’re closing National Library Week with author, journalist, poet Bárbara,” Hernandez said. “She will be doing some of her readings and it is a great honor to have her here.”

Rodriguez reminds the campus community that the library is not only a great place to study, but is also a great place to relax.

“It’s a nice place to socialize and keep calm when you’re studying,” she said.

For more information, call 665-2005 in Edinburg and 882-8221 in Brownsville.