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Librería Resources
The Wandering Song: Central American Writing in the United States
The Librería features books such as, The Wandering Song: Central American Writing in the United States. This book represents the first comprehensive anthology featuring Central American Diaspora writers. Leticia Hernández-Linares co-edited this book and created an accompanying course, LTNS 565: Central Americans Writing in the US, that includes this title and the subsequent books published by it’s showcased authors.
Literary Guide and Assignment for The Wandering Song
The creation of an accompanying literary guide for The Wandering Song anthology was tasked upon graduate student Kathryn Constantino at San Francisco State University. The literary guide is a free reader that includes poems, essays, and discussion questions about the anthology's three essential themes: El Camino Largo, En Voz Alta, and La Poesía de Todos.
The Anthology Review assignment was created by Leticia Hernández-Linares and is utilized in her Central American Writing in the US class. "The Wandering Song Anthology Review Assigment" provides students the opportunity to respond and analyze what they have read in The Wandering Song. By exposing students to the literature of those within the Central American diaspora, they are able to grasp their experiences and reflect through a presentation and essay. This assignment provides insight beyond reading The Wandering Song as it requires thorough research into authors within it. Click the tabs below to access the material.
The creation of an accompanying literary guide for The Wandering Song anthology was tasked upon graduate student Kathryn Constantino at San Francisco State University. The literary guide is a free reader that includes poems, essays, and discussion questions about the anthology's three essential themes: El Camino Largo, En Voz Alta, and La Poesía de Todos.
The Anthology Review assignment was created by Leticia Hernández-Linares and is utilized in her Central American Writing in the US class. "The Wandering Song Anthology Review Assigment" provides students the opportunity to respond and analyze what they have read in The Wandering Song. By exposing students to the literature of those within the Central American diaspora, they are able to grasp their experiences and reflect through a presentation and essay. This assignment provides insight beyond reading The Wandering Song as it requires thorough research into authors within it. Click the tabs below to access the material.
What is a Collective Library?
Collective libraries or special collections such as the Librería have an immense effect on the communities that are represented throughout the stories and experiences told in these books. Many collective libraries have the same theme of representation and accessibility that is an important tool of liberation. The Librería is a gateway for the Central American community and other communities that have similar experiences to learn and create counter-narratives of liberation.
Collective Libraries are similar to special collections that libraries may hold. Special collections are defined to “include rare books, manuscripts, papers, clothing and other items that are of unique value and importance to the study of material culture, history, literature and other subjects.” (Furman University) The Librería and other community libraries have a focus on a specific community or culture that ensures that voices and experiences from these communities are heard.
They do differ from other special collections due to their creation and creators. Many collective library creators are made up of authors, artists, and community members who create these libraries from their own personal collection. Collective libraries vary as well. For example, the Pilipinx American Library created by PJ Gubatina Policarpio is a non-circulating, mobile, and programming platform. This means that the books contained in the library stay within the library due to having one copy but guests are provided with a reading list to purchase the books on their own.
Other libraries such as the Queer Liberation Library created by librarian, Kieran Hickey and Reading Zimbabwe which was founded in 2016 are online libraries that are both funded by nonprofits. They both provide digital copies of books for people to “checkout”.
The importance of the project is to recognize community engaged artistic practices as tools of liberation. The Librería centers the power of storytelling that is within the Central American community. It showcases the rich knowledge that is found within this literature by countering the silencing of these stories. It builds a sense of community that connects back to ancestors and ancestral knowledge.