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Latinx Heritage Month or Hispanic Heritage Month, as it is official designated in federal legislation, is celebrated each year from September 15 to October 15 to commemorate the achievements, histories, traditions and cultural diversity of Americans whose heritage is rooted in 20 Latin American countries and territories: Spain, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.

The origins of this month go back to 1968 when Lynden Johnson signed legislation sponsored by Rep. Edward R. Roybal of Los Angeles to establish Hispanic Heritage Week. In 1988 new legislation expanded the week into a month. September 15 is the starting point because of its proximity to the anniversary of the Cry of Dolores, September 16, 1810, the event which traditionally has marked the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence from Spain. This eventually resulted in independence for Mexico as well as the Central American nations that are now Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

Each year The National Council of Hispanic Employment Program Managers (NCHEPM) supports the Federal government’s observance of the month by selecting an annual theme. The theme for 2022, “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation,” was submitted by Ily Soares, Supervisory Accountant at Farm Credit Administration. Writing about this theme she stated, “As has been proven, when different voices are sitting at the metaphorical table and included in key decisions, the entire community benefits from greater solutions that address concerns from all people. Whether it be education, government, business, or the environment, ensuring that all voices are represented provides results in better and more thoughtful decisions. These improved decisions support the greater good and minimize any negative impacts to marginalized communities and people of color. We call on citizens of this nation from all walks of life to look around and welcome new voices to the table. This will help us build stronger communities and in turn, a stronger nation.”

To learn more about Latinx heritage check out these ebooks from the Library’s collection. For a lighter approach, visit our Latinx Heritage Month display of children’s and juvenile books on the Library’s first floor.

When we read, we are invited to see through another’s eyes. It is no surprise, then, that free access to the written word has long presented a challenge to those who appoint themselves as arbitrators of knowledge and culture, be they political leaders, religious leaders, educators, or even librarians. Most do not go to the extreme of the Roman emperor Domitian, who reportedly executed the author, seller, and enslaved scribes who produced copies of an unauthorized work. Nonetheless, efforts to censor and control have persisted throughout history. Ideological struggles during the Reformation, the Enlightenment, and times of armed conflict from colonialism to the world wars led to book destruction and bans. Since the early days of printing, there also have been those who believed certain groups—women, children, people of color, those of lower economic status— could not be trusted to choose what to read and had to be protected from themselves.

Book bans and censorship are not just the stuff of history, however. In 1982, following a surge in the number of attempts to ban books, the Association of American Publishers contacted Judith Krug, Director of American Library Association (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom with their ideas of how to bring attention to the issues of censorship. The result was the first Banned Books Week. For the last forty years this week has been an annual celebration of the freedom to read. It has also served as an awareness campaign to highlight banned and challenged books as well the people who have been persecuted because of the works they write, disseminate, or read. While especially promoted by ALA and Amnesty International, the event brings together the entire book community to highlight the value of free and open access to information. 

Critics of Banned Books Week argue that in the United States, at least, books are not really banned. They assert most of the books that are challenged each year – that is, an attempt has been made to remove or restrict access to them – are not actually removed from libraries. Further, even if they are removed, the books can still be purchased. Yet just because the freedom to read often has been successfully defended, does not mean that the issue does not exist. There were four times as many attempts to ban books in 2021 than in the preceding year. To see lists of the most challenged books by each decade going back to 1990, check out the ALA’s Frequently Challenged Books. You can find a sampling of these books on our display on the third floor of the Library. You also can measure your knowledge of banned books through our Trivia Contest.

The theme for Banned Books Week this year is Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us. “Sharing stories important to us means sharing a part of ourselves. Books reach across boundaries and build connections between readers. Censorship, on the other hand, creates barriers. Banned Books Week is both a reminder of the unifying power of stories and the divisiveness of censorship, and a call to action for readers across the country to push back against censorship attempts in their communities.” (ALA Banned Books Week)

This summer the Loras College Library welcomed Andrea Martin to fill the NEH grant-funded position of Rare Book Cataloger. We would like to introduce you to her and the work she has been doing in our Special Collections.

Andrea is a graduate of the University of Iowa’s School of Library and Information Science and the Center for the Book, where she specialized in rare book cataloging. Book making and the history of books has long been an interest of hers. After completing an English degree at Mary Washington College in Virginia, she began working for HarperCollins Publishers in their children’s book division, first in sales before moving to editing. While working at HarperCollins she also began an MFA at the Vermont College of Fine Arts to continue to foster her love of poetry. Soon after completing this degree, she entered the Library and Information Science program at UI. These studies gave her a different way to be part of the trajectory of book history. She wanted to learn more about the history of books as well as develop the skills to preserve and care for them.

At Loras, Andrea’s work focuses on cataloging the incunabula (i.e., books printed before 1500) and the manuscripts in our Special Collections. But what is rare book cataloging? Essentially it is describing a rare book to allow people to find it in the online catalog. Unlike modern books which are mass-produced and thus all virtually identical, rare books are one of a kind, even when printed. Books were often published unbound and the person buying the books would have them bound, rather than the publisher. Also, through use and age the physical book changes. Publishers sometimes added their own markings, previous owners might have added inscriptions or marginal notes, additional titles could have been bound together, and bookworms (yes, these are real) may have eaten holes through the pages. Consequently, rare book cataloging spends a great deal of time describing the details of a physical book, all those things described above, that make each one unique. You can learn more about Andrea's work during her presentation on October 25: The Outside In: Uncovering the Hidden Stories Within Loras College’s Rare Books Collection.

The oldest printed book in this collection is from 1471 and manuscripts date back to the 12th century. You can find more information about the rare materials on our Special Collections Guide, and you even can visit in person. The Special Collections Room at Loras is open for use by faculty, staff, students, and to members of the public. To set up an appointment contact Heidi Pettitt at heidi.pettitt@loras.edu.