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Your public library is here to connect you with books, events, learning experiences, and online resources that celebrate Hispanic heritage and culture this month and all year long. On this page, you can:
- Browse: Curated title suggestions for all ages.
- Attend: Upcoming events.
- Watch: Hispanic Heritage Month: Voices From Our Community
- View: A special display in the Main Library Idea Box.
- Watch: Spanish-language videos for early learners.
- Explore: Librarian-curated resources.
Titles we suggest
More to explore
- Reading lists for kids: Titles by Latine creators
- Kits for early learners and grade schoolers: Social-Emotional Learning Kits are all available in Spanish
- Stream on Kanopy: Films and documentaries
- Available on Hoopla: Ebooks, digital audiobooks, comics, movies, music, and TV shows
Available in Spanish from your digital library
- Media on Demand/Libby: Ebooks and digital audiobooks (for adults, teens, and kids) and magazines
- PressReader: Magazines and newspapers
- Global Newsstream: Newspapers
Upcoming events
For adults
English Language Conversation
Saturdays through December 13, 10 am, Main Library
Join other English language learners to practice English and learn new vocabulary in an informal setting. Conversation facilitators will lead the session with a variety of topics for conversation. Free and open to all English language learners.
Wednesday Movie Matinee: Problemista
Wednesday, September 24, 1 pm, Main Library
Join us each Wednesday for an afternoon film screening at the Main Library! In Problemista, Alejandro is an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador, struggling to bring his unusual ideas to life in New York City. As time on his work visa runs out, a job assisting an erratic art-world outcast becomes his only hope to stay in the country and realize his dream. From writer/director Julio Torres.
Dominican University Author Visit: Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
Monday, September 29, 7 pm, virtual
Join us virtually for a book reading and conversation with Karla Cornejo Villavicencio, the author of the National Book Award finalist The Undocumented Americans and Catalina. Her work, which focuses on race, culture, and immigration, has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Vogue, Elle, n+1, The New Inquiry, Interview, and on NPR.
Presented by The PASOS Network in collaboration with The Siena Center, this event is generously supported by Latinx/Latin American Studies and the Study of Women and Gender Departments, the Office of Hispanic Serving Initiatives, and the Oak Park Public Library.
Bilingual Laser Cutter Workshop: Día de los Muertos Photo Frames
Tuesday, October 7, 6:30 pm, Main Library
Learn the basics of designing a project using Glowforge laser cutter software in a bilingual (English and Spanish) setting. Design and cut a meaningful photo frame in celebration of Día de los Muertos to take home after the program!
Latine Author Book Cafe: Chicano Frankenstein
Tuesday, October 14, 6 pm, Main Library
Join us on the second Tuesday of each month as we discuss works written by Latine authors. Spanish language copies will be made available when possible. In Chicano Frankenstein by Daniel A. Olivas, an unnamed paralegal, brought back to life through a controversial process, maneuvers through a near-future world that both needs and resents him. As the U.S. president spouts anti-reanimation rhetoric and giant pharmaceutical companies rake in profits, the man falls in love with lawyer Faustina Godínez. His world expands as he meets her network of family and friends, setting him on a course to discover his first-life history, which the reanimation process erased. With elements of science fiction, horror, political satire, and romance, Chicano Frankenstein confronts our nation's bigotries and the question of what it truly means to be human.
Wednesday Movie Matinee: Encanto
Wednesday, October 15, 1 pm, Main Library
The animated film Encanto tells the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wonderous, charmed place called Encanto. The magic of Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal—every child except one, Mirabel. But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might just be her exceptional family's last hope.
For kids
Cuenta Cuentos con Kathy/Spanish Storytime With Kathy
Fridays, September 12, 19 & 26, 10 am, Main Library
Join us for a Spanish-language Storytime facilitated by Kathy Valdivia. Come hear stories, songs, and dancing! This program is open to all children ages 3 to 6 and their caregivers, and is best for those who are eager to be immersed in Spanish language.
"Being Bilingual Rocks!" Kids Music Concert
Wednesday, October 15, 10 am, Main Library
Join Parents' Choice Gold Award winners Alina and Hamlet for a joyous and inclusive bilingual family-friendly musical experience. Come prepared to dance and sing!
Únase a los ganadores del Premio de Oro de Eleccion de Padres, Alina y Hamlet, para disfrutar de una experiencia musical alegre, inclusiva y bilingüe para toda la familia. ¡Venga preparado para bailar y cantar!
Watch Hispanic Heritage Month: Voices From Our Community
In this video, we spotlight three individuals who have been vital to Oak Park's vibrant community: Oak Park Township Trustee Juan Muñoz, Vice President of University Advancement at Dominican University Tony Martinez, and Oak Park Village Clerk Christina Waters.
Special display in the Idea Box
From September 15 to October 15 in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, our Idea Box will host a special digital display of interviews with local leaders telling stories of their cultures (see their stories in the video above).
This year's display shines a spotlight on three individuals who have been vital to Oak Park's vibrant community. You'll see their stories unfold in the Idea Box, interwoven with a variety of resources available to you.
Throughout the month, the panels in the Idea Box will feature curated booklists, multicultural kits you can check out, programs that celebrate Hispanic heritage, and our video interviews. We hope this display will offer a deeper look into how our Hispanic and Latino neighbors and friends celebrate and honor this time of year.
Watch Spanish-language videos for early learners
Created for our youngest patrons and their families, these videos feature Oak Park’s favorite librarians and storytime friends.
- Color Hunt: Amarillo
- Los Pollitos Dicen
- Lego y Amigos
- Uno Dos Tres Chocolate
- Jugando y Contando
- Kathy y Munchy cantan Pin Pon
Online resources to explore
Get access to subscription-based resources that Google can’t offer, with your Oak Park card and PIN:
For kids
- Little Pim (ages 0-6): Learn Spanish with videos, games, and songs.
- PebbleGo (preschool-grades 3) and PebbleGo Next (grades 3-5): Check out the Social Studies module to explore.
- World Book Student (elementary & middle schoolers): Explore a collection of articles, tables, and multimedia of the world, and find maps showing political, population, economic, and meteorological information in the World Resources section.
For adults & teens
- Gale in Context: Biography: Explore authoritative biographical entries covering international figures from all time periods and areas of study, including a collection of biographies on notable Hispanic Americans. To start your search, choose Browse People and from the Topics dropdown, select Hispanic Americans.
- Mango Languages: Reach conversational proficiency in Spanish.
- Novelist Plus: Find book reviews, annotations, read-alikes, discussion guides, and book lists for fiction and nonfiction readers. Use the Advanced Search option to find titles by Hispanic American authors by selecting Hispanic American under Authors Cultural Identity.