The "Big Read" Event

ELAC’s Helen Miller Bailey Library (in collaboration with East Los Angeles Public Library and the California State University at Los Angeles library) would like to invite you to participate in the five week, National Endowment for the Arts sponsored event called the “The Big Read.” As part of the event, students, faculty and members of the surrounding East Los Angeles community will be encouraged to read Rudolfo Anaya’s famous novel, Bless Me, Ultima. This event will also include book related lectures and discussions, a film series, and a student art contest. The Big Read begins on March 15th and ends on April 19th. Please help us to promote an appreciation of reading, culture and community.

Upcoming events:

• “Big Read” Table and Book Discussion: The ELAC library staff will be giving out the novel, Bless Me, Ultima, Reader’s guides, Bookmarks and Posters (as supplies last) at the information table outside the library entrance. A book discussion will be held by the Chicano Studies instructor, Beatriz Tapia in the library during the week of April 14.

• Bless Me, Ultima Art Contest: Our ELAC students along with junior high and high school students in the surrounding community are invited to create art pieces inspired by themes in the book. Submissions will be accepted at the ELAC Library until April 14th, 2008.

• Film Series: ELAC’s Chicano Studies instructor, Beatriz Tapia, and Anthropology instructor, Adrianna Jackson will host the film screenings of “From Curandera to Chupacabra: The Stories of Rudolfo Anaya” on March 26th, 6:30pm and “Ancient Roots, Modern Medicine: The Borderlands of USA/Mexico”, on April 9th, 6:30pm.
*Both film screenings will take place at the East Los Angeles Public Library. Please call (323) 264-0155 for details, or for further event information, check East Los Angeles Public Library’s Big Read calendar of events at:

http://www.neabigread.org/events.php?mode=communityCalendar&communityID=2652

**We still have free copies of Bless Me, Ultima to give away (as of 3/17/08)! You or your students can pick up a copy in the ELAC library at the Reference Desk. Copies will also be available for check out at the Circulation Desk until April 19th.


For further event information, please contact: Gabi Torres, Instruction Librarian, (323) 267-3775, torresgk@elac.edu.