MOUNT VERNON – This spring, the Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County celebrates Sandra Cisneros’ novel, The House on Mango Street through the NEA Big Read program. Set in working-class Chicago in the 1960s, The House on Mango Street provides a story that invites all readers to connect through the very human experience of growing up, finding your voice, achieving autonomy, and seeking a place to call home. The Library’s NEA Big Read festivities begin on March 1 at 11 a.m. in the Solarium at the Main Library, where Library Director John K. Chidester joins Mount Vernon Mayor Matthew Starr, Jan Thomas from Kenyon College Office for Community Partnerships, Martin Booker of Mount Vernon Arts Consortium, Gund Gallery Director Daisy Desrosier and several special guests for an official proclamation of “NEA Big Read Day.”
The NEA Big Read Kickoff event includes a book giveaway of Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street. The first 50 patrons to pick up a book at the Main Library will receive copies with an autographed bookplate, and are invited to help themselves to grab-and-go sweetbread treats from La Mega Michoacana’s bakery. At 1 p.m., patrons are invited to join an online book discussion of The House on Mango Street with ChicanX scholar and poet Crystal AC Salas. Teen Visitors to the Library can stop by after 3:00pm to pick up a “Mango Street in the MakerSpace” craft bag, part of a weekly series of arts and crafting projects inspired by LatinX traditions. All Teen MakerSpace craft bags also include a free copy of The House on Mango Street.
The Library’s benchmark event for the NEA Big Read celebration is a reprise of Dr. Clara Román-Odio’s “Latinos in Rural America” (LiRA) Exhibit, on display at the Main Library February 28-March 5. LiRA consists of several stories from LatinX people living in Knox County and explores their “lives, journeys and aspirations.” At 4 p.m. on March 1, Dr. Román-Odio will present a lecture and overview of the LiRA project via Zoom, inviting patrons to learn more about her process and experience compiling this award-winning humanities exhibit. The LiRA installation will become part of the Public Library’s permanent collection thanks to a generous donation from Dr. Román-Odio.
The Public Library’s plans for the NEA Big Read include partnerships with the Mount Vernon Arts Consortium, The Kenyon Review, Office for Community Partnerships, and the Brown Family Environmental Center. Upcoming events include a children's storytime series featuring books by LatinX authors, a performance by Toledo. Ohio-based El Corazón de México Ballet Folklórico, a reading and workshop from poet Sara Borjas, a comics workshop with author and scholar Frederick Luis Aldama, and community Latin dance workshops led by Kenyon College Department of Dance and Drama. Please note that masks are required at all in-person NEA Big Read events, to protect the general public and our visiting artists from the spread of COVID-19.
A full listing of program events will be available on the Library’s website in early 2022. As with all library programs, the NEA Big Read Events will be free and open to the public. For more information about the Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County, please visit our website at knox.net, email knoxwrites1@gmail.com or call (740) 392-BOOK ext 259. NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.
For more information about the NEA Big Read, including book and author information, podcasts, and videos, visit arts.gov/neabigread.
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