May is Jewish Heritage Month. The CSW Library is celebrating by exploring stories at the intersection of being Jewish and LGBTQ+. Included here are romantic stories with happy endings and historical stories–all keeping queer, Jewish protagonists at the center. On display next to the library mantle through the month of May, and available digitally here. Featured artwork by 2023 Library Ambassador Olivia Martinez-Moule ‘24.

As part of Haitian Heritage Month, celebrated annually in May, the CSW Library is featuring fiction by Haitian writers of the diaspora. From classic literature to snarky young protagonists, the breath of fiction from Haitian writers leaves something for all. Check it out on display by the non fiction stacks through the month or explore titles here. Featured artwork by 2023 Library Ambassador Olivia Martinez-Moule ‘24.

In celebration of AAPI Heritage Month (Asian American Pacific Islander), we bring you memoirs that speak to the rich, and vast, experiences of AAPI folks. Memoirs differ from autobiographies in that they are nonfiction narrative writings based on the author's personal memories - this format is not bound to formal expectations, rather the author using their life experiences in service of a larger theme. Please check out our recommendations here and on display at the front windows in the library through May.

Rebecca F. Kuang is the award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Poppy War trilogy and Babel: An Arcane History, as well as the forthcoming Yellowface. She has an MPhil in Chinese Studies from Cambridge and an MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies from Oxford; she is now pursuing a PhD in East Asian Languages and Literatures at Yale.

As part of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI), consider picking up some of R.F. Kuang's exceptional work as part of our Author Spotlight Series, which highlights one author and their body of work for the celebrated month.

*See more authors in our spotlight series here.

Explore our picks for May’s prompt of the CSW Library Reading Challenge. In celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, the CSW Library is recommending books by AAPI authors that celebrate the vast and rich experiences of AAPI peoples. We have so much to choose from–but the CSW library is highlighting four books that speak to those rich experiences: a story of found family, a gap year trip to India, a piece of literary fiction that explores elements of magical realism, and a brand new, neo noir science fiction novel with plenty of time travel!

More AAPI authors to consider here.

Poetry collections for when the worst has already happened--in celebration of Poetry Month, observed annually in April. On display by the non fiction stacks through the end of the month. Happy reading?

The theme of CSW's Social Justice Day 2023 is Reproductive Justice. It is is an important contemporary issue for emerging young adults to explore as we are witnessing more and more states debating legislation that impacts reproductive rights. As you continue to extend your learning beyond SJD, please consider our collection on display at the library front windows through the month.

Each spring, CSW holds an annual school-wide event known as the Michael H. Feldman Social Justice Day. Formerly known as Law Day, the event was established in 1975 by Shirley and Roger Feldman in memory of their son, Michael Feldman ’67. The event explores various viewpoints on important legal and social issues of the day, creating opportunities for student discussion and debate, as well as guest speakers and presentations.

Samira Ahmed is the bestselling author of Love, Hate & Other Filters, Internment, Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know, Hollow Fires, and the Amira & Hamza middle-grade duology, as well as a Ms. Marvel comic book mini-series. Her poetry, essays, and short stories have appeared in numerous publications and anthologies including the New York Times, Take the Mic, Color Outside the Lines, Vampires Never Get Old and A Universe of Wishes.

Ahmed's work is featured as part of our Author Spotlight series Arab American Heritage Month, celebrated annually in April. On display at the foreplace mantle through the month. *See more authors in our spotlight series here.

As part of the CSW Library's 2023 Reading Challenge, April is the month to read a book that went viral on tiktok. Curated by 2023 CSW Library Ambassador Matilda Leighton '24. On display at the front of the library (to the left of the fireplace) through the month of April and available here.

In recognition of National Poetry Month, consider reading a novel in verse.  Highlighting diverse characters, identities, and genres, this collection will help you find just the right book.

On display at the back of the library by the non fiction stacks through the month and available here.

Women and girls explore, discover, survey, analyze and envision the world as it is, and as it could be. On display at the library front for Women's History Month, celebrated every March, and available here.

Have you heard? This week thousands of readers and organizations are participating in the Trans Rights Readathon, happening March 20-27! You can participate in the readathon by reading trans books all week and sharing about them on social media with the hashtag #TransRightsReadathon 

On display at the front of the library by the fireplace through the week and available here.

Leigh Bardugo is the NYT bestselling author of Ninth House and the creator of the Grishaverse (now a Netflix original series) which spans the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, the King of Scars duology—and much more. Her short fiction has appeared in multiple anthologies including The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy. She suffers from osteonecrosis and sometimes needs to use a cane; this was a source of inspiration for one of the story's six protagonists, master thief and gang boss Kaz Brekker, who uses a cane. Her works are featured as part of our Author Spotlight series for Disability Awareness Month 2023 on the fireplace mantle through March. *See more authors in our spotlight series here.

March is Disability Awareness Month. The CSW Library is highlighting four texts that explore the disabilty experience through fiction, memoir, short story, and action; longer list available here. *The March 2023 CSW Library x Reading Challenge prompt

Tiffany D. Jackson is the NYT Bestselling, award-winning author of YA novels Monday’s Not Coming, Allegedly, Let Me Hear A Rhyme, Grown, White Smoke, Santa in The City, The Weight of Blood, and co-author of Blackout. A Coretta Scott King — John Steptoe New Talent Award-winner and the NAACP Image Award-nominee, she received her bachelor of arts in film from Howard University and has over a decade in TV/Film experience. The Brooklyn native is currently splitting her time between the borough she loves and the south, most likely multitasking. Her works are featured as part of our Author Spotlight series for Black History Month 2023 on the fireplace mantle through February. *See more authors in our spotlight series here.

Feeling the love this month? Check out our latest romance display featuring Black protagonists. Stories include a novel that takes place over the course of a single day, LGBTQ+ Black love, gentrification, immigration, and more. On display in front of the library nonfiction stacks through the month of February. If you are participating in the CSW Reading Challenge, these selections are a great place to look if you are still trying to identify a title that resonates with you.

As part of a larger collection of book pairings, please consider engaging 3 distinct book pairings for Black History Month 2023. Available for check out in the CSW Library, these books aim to highlight moments in Black History and culture and are meant to be explored together for a more enhanced reading experience.

Taylor Swift uses her social to occasionally recommend books she's read. Why not pick one up? The collection features titles she has claimed to love, including some classics and contemporary works. In addition, the library has selected some additional texts that we think Swifty and Swifty fans would love, too. See the collection here. On display outside the library office.

As part of a larger series featuring romance and love stories, explore fast paced stories where characters catch some feelings. This collection features both realistic fiction and fantasy selections. On display in front of the non-fictions stacks.

3 Fiction/Non Fiction book pairings. Read one, read them both, read them together. See the collection here. On display at the library mantle through January.

There were twenty-five Finalists for the 2022 National Book Awards in the categories of Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People’s Literature. Publishers submitted a total of 1,772 books for this year’s National Book Awards: 463 in Fiction, 607 in Nonfiction, 260 in Poetry, 146 in Translated Literature, and 296 in Young People’s Literature. Judges’ decisions are made independently of the National Book Foundation staff and Board of Directors, and deliberations are strictly confidential. The CSW Library is recommending some of those winners and shortlisters, on display at the library front; see picks here.

*this is not a comprehensive list but the titles included here all made the short list and are available in the CSW Library collection.

Faculty and staff recommend titles they've read and loved recently. Come check out why; on display next to the fireplace in the library and selections linked here.

IFKYK. A literary trend. If you like one... you'll probably like the others.

The memoir genre satisfies two of our most human desires: to be known, and to know others. A memoir is a narrative, written from the perspective of the author, about an important part of their life. It’s often conflated with autobiography, but there are a few important differences. To define memoir, we loosen the constraints of an autobiography. Memoir authors choose a pivotal moment in their lives and try to recreate the event through storytelling. The author’s feelings and assumptions are central to the narrative. Memoirs still include all the facts of the event, but the author has more flexibility here because sthey aretelling a story as they remember it, not as others can prove or disprove it. In fact, “memoir” comes from the French “mémoire” or “memory.” Check out some of our newest memoirs, on display through December on the mantle above the fireplace, and linked here.

A good mystery? A murder that needs solving and no one seems to be doing anything about it? A protagonist who starts a crime podcast? For fans of mystery, murder, and crime, these reads are for you. On display at the center library display--see the selections here and grab one before the long winter break.

Featuring fiction and non-fiction that centers voting, elections, and ballot box history, 'tis the season to explore these topics in American history or through protagonists' experiences during their own election day experiences. One novel even takes place across a single election day and features a little romance to go along with your voting.

Darcie Little Badger is a Lipan Apache speculative fiction and horror writer with a PhD in oceanography. Her critically acclaimed debut novel, Elatsoe, was featured in Time Magazine as one of the best 100 fantasy books of all time. Elatsoe also won the Locus award for Best First Novel and is a Nebula, Ignyte, and Lodestar finalist. Her second fantasy novel, A Snake Falls to Earth, received a Nebula Award, an Ignyte Award, and a Newbery Honor and is on the National Book Awards longlist.  Her stories center Indigenous worldviews, explore justice, and often feature ACE protagonists. Featured here are her two novels, as well as anthologies that feature her shorter works.

The CSW Library is thinking a bit differently this year about Heritage month displays. Heritage months are meant to honor and celebrate marginalized voices--think Black, Latinx, Native American, Asian + Pacific Islander, LGBTQ+, Disabled, and Jewish as examples. The CSW often creates thematic displays that center authors and protagonists that represent these identities. However, they often don't move off the display and into curious hands. So this year, we are trying something new. While we always center ANY thematic display around a wide-variety of authors and voices, we are asking you to consider a new idea: one author, several texts. Our challenge for you? When heritage months roll around, or in any month for that matter, meet our challenge: pick up the author we are featuring and just...read what they have to say.

In earnestness, your library

Slow burning scares. Monsters and magic. Books that go bump in the night. For those of you looking to feel frightened, 'tis the season. We've got the books.

A new study revealed more than 1,600 books have been banned in over 5,000 schools this year; of those, 4 in 10 books banned in 2022 are LGBTQ+ related. Read more about some of those challenges in the Advocate.

October is National LGBTQ+ History Month in the United States. This month serves as a time to learn about key figures and moments in LGBTQ+ history. The CSW Library is highlighting books that are regularly challenged in libraries and school libraries across the country with increasing fashion as a reminder that the arc toward justice is long--and that this moment is a part of a larger LGBTQ+ history. It's equally important we remember the privileges afforded us here at CSW to have regular access to these materials.

Did you know September is Deaf Awareness Month? The CSW Library asks you to explore both fiction and non-fiction works in our collection that explore the deaf experience and community. These titles include memoirs, as well as YA fiction, graphic novels, and even short essays, that center the experiences of deaf people–and all of their intersections. This month, and any month, consider exploring these titles. 

The CSW Library celebrates Latinx Heritage Month 2022, which happens annually September 15 - October 15. As part of the celebration of Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation, we are featuring works by Latinx authors that speak to the many intersections of identity–be they gender, sexuality, race, country of origin, and language, to name a few.

Latinx refers to peoples whose origin is Latin America. This includes Brazil and Haiti. People who identify as Latinx are of many races and speak a number of different languages. We encourage you to pick up one of these works in celebration of Latinx Heritage month or at any point in your reading life this year. While this is a month to highlight the breadth of experience, it is not the only time one can and should interact with these works.