Promoting peace, eradicating hate, and celebrations in remembrance of our cultural heritage are among the topics highlighted this November at Skyline College Library.
Throughout the year, the Library celebrates the diversity of our communities through themed book displays. Because most students are not hanging out in the book stacks, displays give library visitors a sense of what they can find in their college library and showcase the Library’s newly purchased books. Any member of the Skyline College community can check out books using their G number.
Earlier in November, our Library partnered with the Peninsula Library System (PLS) to celebrate California’s “United Against Hate Week,” featuring authors Savala Nolan (Don’t Let it Get You Down) and others. The many books on view told stories and provided information supporting the week’s goal to work together to stop the hate and implicit biases that remain a threat to our communities.
In that spirit, a second current display highlights books about Palestine with a focus on the Israeli occupation and ongoing and historical struggles for peace. Histories, oral histories, poetry, essays, and other genres representing a variety of viewpoints are included. Our collective hearts go out to our students and employees affected by this most recent war.
To mark Native American Heritage Month, two current displays highlight Indigenous American art, books, maps, and ephemera, including new maps of Indigenous First Nations, historic tribal lands, and reservations across North America. Accompanying the maps is a biographical panel about empowered indigenous women. Poetry, fiction, and non-fiction by First Nations authors are featured, as well as faculty librarian Jenny Vega’s private collection of books, art, and jewelry.
A book display in celebration of Veteran’s Day earlier in the month highlighted new book purchases relevant for our student veterans, including Expert Resumes for Military-to-Civilian Transitions; Veterans Benefits for You: Get What You Deserve; Federal Benefits for Veterans Dependents and Survivors; Support for Servicemembers and Veterans; and Life After the Military.
Last but not least, a new holiday display celebrates the upcoming winter holidays of Diwali, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas, St. Nicholas Day, St. Lucia Day, and the winter solstice. A final display features international cookbooks and healthy and easy ethnic recipes to fit college students’ tastes and budgets as we head into this season of feasts.
The Library is especially grateful for the creative help of our invaluable student assistants Harry Tun, Jonathan Zhang, Veronica Johnson, and Riley Chan, with additional thanks to our talented librarian-in-training Saul Milan, whom the Library must now reluctantly return to the Counseling Division, his loan period having expired.
Happy holidays!
-The Library Staff