Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Carlsbad Reads Together selects Julia Alvarez; author event set for April 24
Summary
The 21st Carlsbad Reads Together features Julia Alvarez's The Cemetery of Untold Stories, with programs across library branches and an in-person author event on April 24 at the renovated Schulman Auditorium.
Senior Librarian Emily Hardy presented the Carlsbad Reads Together 2025 program to the Carlsbad Library Board of Trustees on March 26, 2025. The program’s featured title is Julia Alvarez’s novel The Cemetery of Untold Stories. Hardy said the initiative — in its 21st year — encourages the community to read a common book and participate in related programming across library branches and outreach venues.
Hardy described the selection process: staff solicited community input, produced a final list for public vote and prepared multiple copies in English and Spanish in both print and digital formats ahead of April’s programming. The program includes book-club discussions (virtual and bilingual options), creative-writing workshops (three writers workshops, one presented by library technician and former English professor Lori Joyce), multi‑generational events, cultural arts programming that includes a celebration of Dominican culture (Bachata and Merengue lessons with live music), and a film showing of the adaptation of In the Time of the Butterflies.
The program culminates with “An Evening with Julia Alvarez” at 6 p.m. on April 24 in the renovated Ruby G. Shulman Auditorium; the event will be moderated by Susan Macbeth of Adventures by the Book and will be livestreamed on the City of Carlsbad’s YouTube channel, with the recording hosted on the Carlsbad City Library website for seven days afterward. Hardy acknowledged support from the Friends of the Library.
Hardy also summarized Alvarez’s background as described in the presentation: Alvarez is a Dominican American author whose works include How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents and In the Time of the Butterflies; she received the National Medal of Arts in 2013 and other honors. Trustees thanked staff for the comprehensive programming plan. There were no public speakers on the item.
