LibraryRunner

September 15th through October 15th is Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month. The library has a great collection of resources to learn all about the history, various cultures, art, contributions, and accomplishments of Latinx/Hispanic Americans. Check out our curated collection of books on a range of topics and interests all related to the culture and contributions of Latinx/Hispanic Americans. You might find your next favorite YA author, a biography of a person you admire, or a book about a period of history you don't know much about. This collection is just a small sample of the books we have so make sure you take a look in our catalog if you are looking for something specific. We also have a related guide for Chicanx/Latinx Ethnic Studies.

Do you know of a book we don't have yet in the library's collection? You can recommend a book for purchase by filling out our book recommendation form. 

September 18 - 24 is Banned Books Week, a yearly celebration of our freedom to read (and write, and think!) what we want, while calling attention to the harms of censorship.  And 2022 has been a banner year for censorship, so there's a lot to pay attention to.  Stop by the library (either Main or Chico) to:

• Check out our displays about current book challenges, with a special focus on LGBT books -- books about race and sexuality tend to be the most challenged, and this year it's gone right off the rails.
• Read our special timeline about the novelist Salman Rushdie, who was attacked last month while speaking on-stage.  Learn about 30+ years of violence over one novel.
• Make your own mini art book featuring your favorite offensive books!
• Grab a bracelet, sticker, or other swag to show off your support of the freedom to read.
• Borrow an objectionable book to read!
• Take a look at our online guide to Banned Books Week, which features a ton of great information about censorship and why it's important to fight it.
• The newsletter we wrote back in February about the rise in book bans still makes for relevant (and scary!) reading.

The library is pleased to offer our first zine. Question Authority: How to Radicalize Your Research and Amplify Marginalized Scholars, offers an introduction to "power imbalances in academic research." The various topics addressed in the zine include algorithms, citation bias, marginalized research, and the library's role in both perpetuating and correcting bias in research. Don't worry if you do not know anything about these issues. The zine is here to help! Even better is that inside you will find strategies and solutions that will help you radicalize your own research. 

The library would love to collaborate with students, faculty, classes, clubs, or anyone on campus who has ideas for future issues of the zine. If you have any research related ideas and want to get involved please contact Tia Germar at germarti@butte.edu.

There are several versions of the zine available. If you would like to print your own copy you can use the printable PDF. An accessible version of the zine is also available. The library will also have printed versions available so drop by to get your very own copy.

Tia Germar created and compiled the zine. It is available a under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 International License. This means you can attribute, share, adapt, print it out, and give it away for free. If you have any questions about the zine you can contact Tia Germar at germarti@butte.edu.

The Book in Common for this year is Thi Bui's graphic novel The Best We Could Do.  Exploring the anguish of immigration and the lasting effects that displacement has on a child and her family, Bui documents the story of her family’s daring escape after the fall of South Vietnam in the 1970s and the difficulties they faced building new lives for themselves.

At the heart of Bui’s story is a universal struggle: While adjusting to life as a first-time mother, she ultimately discovers what it means to be a parent—the endless sacrifices, the unnoticed gestures, and the depths of unspoken love. Despite how impossible it seems to take on the simultaneous roles of both parent and child, Bui pushes through. With haunting, poetic writing and breathtaking art, she examines the strength of family, the importance of identity, and the meaning of home.

The Library has plenty of copies of Bui's graphic novel for students to check out.  We've also put together an online guide full of great resources for reading and teaching The Best We Could Do.  We hope you'll take advantage of all the good stuff we have to offer!