BOSTON – September 19, 2022 – To mark the achievements and influence of Hispanic and Latinx Americans, the Boston Public Library is releasing Latinx Life, a booklist of current titles focusing on the cultures, histories, and diversity of the American Latinx community and the Hispanic experience. National Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from September 15 through October 15 annually, is a way to promote the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic Americans - specifically, those whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
“The Boston Public Library is proud to share the Latinx Life booklist with readers across the city,” said BPL President David Leonard. “By exploring the cultures and understanding the unique experiences of our communities, we enhance our knowledge and enrich our understanding of the world around us. It is our hope that patrons and visitors join us in celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month by participating in our programs and by enjoying recent titles curated in the Latinx Life booklist.”
The Latinx Life booklist is compiled by staff librarians from the Adams Street, Connolly, East Boston, Faneuil, Honan-Allston, Lower Mills, and South Boston branches and the Central Library in Copley Square. With 108 tiles, Latinx Life features books for adults, teenagers, and children by authors such as Mario Vargas Llosa, Claribel A. Ortega, J.C. Cervantes, Zoraida Córdova, and Xochitl Gonzalez. Genres from this collection include biography, expressions, history and contemporary issues, and fiction.
Each book on the list contains a brief summary and is accompanied by an image of the book cover as well as classification information. In addition to print books, select titles are available as an eBook, audiobook, or in Spanish as well as English.
The Boston Public Library will also celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with performance arts events, music, films, and arts and crafts workshops. The programs include Rockabye Beats, a concert series in English and Spanish that will take place at various branches. The Honan-Allston Branch will show the film In the Heights (2021), a movie musical music based on a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes, with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, about a Latinx neighborhood in New York City. The Mattapan Branch will show My Name Is Lopez (2021), a documentary about one of the first Latino rock stars, Trinidad Lopez III. A complete list of these events is available at bpl.org.
Copies of the Latinx Life booklist will be available at all Boston Public Library locations; it can also be found on the BPL website (Adult Fiction, Adult Non-Fiction, Children’s + Teen) and social media channels.
The Boston Public Library also produces curated booklists and holds educational and celebratory events for Black History Month in February, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May, LGBTQ+ Pride Month in June, and Native American Heritage Month in November.
