The United States is undergoing a massive demographic shift, as immigration again changes our national character and makeup. But in recent decades, the influx of people has not been from Europe but from our own hemisphere – Mexico, Central, and South America. And like generations of previous immigrants, these new Americans bring their own vibrant culture, interweaving it with the multifaceted tapestry that is already here.

Richmond seems far away from the southern border, but almost all of us have still been touched in some way by Hispanic culture – neighbors, friends, coworkers, and colleagues. Perhaps you’re curious about these cultures, and want to know more. The library has plenty of tools to study Latin American and Hispanic culture – databases like Informe Revistas en Espanol, Latin American Women Writers, Latino Literature: Poetry, Drama, and Fiction, and Sabin Americana, 1500-1926 can serve academic needs.

Perhaps you would like to to engage with a culture through stories. For anyone interested in Latin American literature or media, we have lots of books and ebooks. Writings like Peel My Love Like an Onion by Ana Castillo, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, Flight by José Skinner, The Last of the Menu Girls by Denise Chávez, or anthologies like Hispanic, Female and Young edited by Phyllis Tashlik are perfect for summer reading, and criticism like Recovering U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage by Gerald Poyo, Hispanic Immigrant Literature: El Sueño del Retorno by Nicolás Kanellos, Latin American Melodrama: Passion, Pathos, and Entertainment by Darlene Sadlier, Contemporary Latina/o Performing Arts of Moraga, Tropicana, Fusco, and Bustamante by Leah Garland, Affinity of the Eye: Writing Nikkei in Peru by Ignacio Lopez-Calvo, or even Emergence of Latin American Science Fiction by Rachel Ferreira can enrich your understanding.

Want multimedia, instead?  Try videos from Alexander Street Press.  And we have plenty of Spanish-language films available for checkout, too. Additionally, throughout academic year 2015-16, IU East will be hosting a film series as part of a Latino Americans: 500 Years of History program funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities through the American Library Association. Dates and information about the film series and more is available here: http://iue.libguides.com/latinoamericans

Any questions? Ask us at iueref@iue.edu!