Library Takeover is an opportunity to support communities to make their ideas happen at the library. Every year, Madison Public Library opens its doors to three teams of three to four people who take their ideas from the planning phase to execution. The teams participate in an event planning bootcamp in the fall of 2022, where they learn about everything from logistics, budgeting, permitting, marketing and more to help them prepare for their events. The experience culminates in a public event hosted in a library space during the spring of 2023.
With support from Madison Public Library Foundation, the library is able to provide space, time and resources for community members to host these events. A CUNA Mutual Foundation gift secured by the foundation makes it possible to provide each team with a $2,000 event budget, as well as a $400 stipend for each team member. In the end, the library not only gains unique and exciting events; the experience also sets the stage for future library programming that involves and reflects all of Madison.
This year’s participating teams are:
TEAM 1: Kichwa Collaborative Learning
Members: Tatiana Sarango, Nina Amaguana, Cayana Amaguana Cachiguango, Jay Lema (pictured above)
This team will focus on themes of migration and identity, while sharing historical insight into the indigenous Kichwa diaspora from South America to Wisconsin, where they live on stolen Ho-Chunk territory. Kichwa as a term broadly refers to the indigenous communities of northern and southern Ecuador, as well as the language spoken in those regions. Through a series of interactive activities, storytelling and music, this event invites community members to invoke critical thinking and question Western notions of migration as a tool of resistance. This event is designed to elevate the lived experiences of the Kichwa diaspora in Wisconsin from a first-person perspective, and provide a collaborative learning experience for all who attend.
TEAM 2: Parent Event
Members: Aaron Seligman, Mayra M Falcon Pineda, Ashley Inda
Started by parents whose kids attend Nuestro Mundo Community School, this group hopes to provide an opportunity for parents to gather and share knowledge, resources and tips. Parents can propose topics, such as rainy day activities, picky eaters or favorite books — but the actual topics would be up to those who attend. Following the “open space” structure, parents can move to the topics of greatest interest and then change throughout the event. This event will include bilingual discussion groups in English and Spanish. This team is focused on getting parents and caregivers together in a way that is inclusive and community-building for other elementary school-aged families.
TEAM 3: LGBTQIA+ Social Event
Members: Renee Reed, Bernice Amos, Tiffany Sneed, nour loren
This team will bring together LGBTQIA+ BIPOC folks for a salon-type experience featuring music, mocktails, spoken word, poetry and more. The goal is to provide a relaxing, joyful space for Queer BIPOC folks to meet, mix and mingle in an alcohol- and drug-free environment that intentionally provides the best space possible for equitable access.
Watch for more details this spring regarding these three events!