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Library previews Carlsbad Reads Together lineup, author visit and bilingual programs
Summary
Senior librarian Emily Hardy outlined the 21st annual Carlsbad Reads Together, centered on Julia Alvarez’s The Cemetery of Untold Stories, with monthlong programs in April, an April 24 author event and expanded cultural-arts partnerships including live streaming and bilingual offerings.
Senior librarian Emily Hardy presented an overview of Carlsbad Reads Together 2025 on April 3, announcing that the citywide reading program will center on Julia Alvarez’s novel The Cemetery of Untold Stories and will feature a month of events in April, including an in-person author conversation on April 24 at 6 p.m.
The program, in its 21st year, invites community members to read a common book and participate in discussions, performances and workshops. “This month long celebration centers on Julia Alvarez’s compelling novel, The Cemetery of Untold Stories,” Emily Hardy said, outlining plans for bilingual access, book-club discussions, creative writing workshops and family programs. She credited the Friends of the Library for financial support and said the library solicited community input and used a public vote to select the title.
Hardy described a mix of formats and locations intended to reach broad audiences: book-club meetings with bilingual and virtual options, three writers’ workshops (one led by library technician and former professor Lori Joyce), an author talk moderated by Susan Macbeth of Adventures by the Book, a film screening of In the Time of the Butterflies on April 16, and a finale conversation with Alvarez followed by a book signing. Cultural Arts staff will support a Bachata and merengue lesson with live music in the Kolchin Courtyard and an open-studio session with artist Frederick Hope tied to the library exhibition program. The April 24 author event will be live-streamed on the City of Carlsbad YouTube channel; the recording will be hosted on the library website for seven days.
Hardy said the selection process prioritized titles with “thought provoking themes, broad appeal, and availability in both English and Spanish,” and that children’s and teen events this year will celebrate Alvarez’s body of work with age-appropriate “read-alike” titles rather than a single children’s title. Commissioners thanked staff for the program plan and asked a few clarifying questions about translation and publication history of the author’s work.
The presentation concluded with an invitation for commissioners and the public to attend events throughout April. No public speakers addressed the item during the meeting.
