East Baton Rouge Parish Library announces One Book One Community selection and March celebration

Sponsored by East Baton Rouge Parish Library

The East Baton Rouge Parish Library is excited to announce this year’s One Book One Community selection, along with a slate of events that blends poetry, nature and community connection. From hands-on workshops to live performances and a large-scale community celebration on March 28, the initiative highlights how shared stories can bring people together.

This year’s featured title is You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World, a nationally recognized anthology edited by Ada Limón, the 24th Poet Laureate of the United States, and published in association with the Library of Congress. The book is also an NEA Big Read selection, underscoring its cultural and literary impact.

You Are Here features 50 previously unpublished poems by some of the nation’s most accomplished poets, including Joy Harjo, Diane Seuss, Rigoberto González, Jericho Brown, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Paul Tran and others. Each poem reflects the author’s relationship with their local landscape, from national parks to everyday urban spaces, offering a powerful reimagining of what nature and poetry can mean today. The anthology also includes work by poet and LSU Professor Adam Clay, who led one of the library’s public poetry workshops this spring.

Events and programming

Throughout March and April, the library will host a wide range of free programs designed to engage patrons of all ages and backgrounds. These events explore the key themes reflected in You Are Here, including humanity’s relationship with the natural world, hope and resilience, environmental stewardship and the interconnectedness of living things.

In addition to readings and discussions, the library is encouraging community members to become creators themselves. Submissions are currently open for a community-generated poetry anthology inspired by the themes of You Are Here. Selected poems will be published digitally through the library’s free platforms, BiblioBoard and Libby.

A highlight of the One Book One Community series is an evening with nationally acclaimed spoken-word artist and musician Tarriona “Tank” Ball of Tank & the Bangas on March 13 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

A One Book One Community Celebration party will be held on March 28 from 4-8 p.m. The family-friendly event will feature live music, including Favorite Friend with Raudol Palacios, literacy and poetry activities, karaoke performances, face painting, food trucks and appearances by Adam Clay and other local poets. Community organizations focused on creativity, sustainability, wildlife and green initiatives will also be on hand. The event is supported in part by Patrons of the Public Library.

Just a few of the events planned at local library branches:

Throughout March, stop by the Information Desk at Delmont Gardens Branch Library to make a blackout poetry masterpiece from old book pages!

Painted Cross-Stitch on Canvas
Fairwood Branch Library
Wednesday, March 18, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Black-Out Poetry
Jones Creek Regional Branch Library
Thursday, March 26, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Baker Morning Book Club to read and discuss You Are Here
Baker Branch Library
Monday, April 13, 10:30 a.m.

Movie Viewing: The Call of the Wild starring Harrison Ford
Baker Branch Library
Wednesday, April 15, 10 a.m.

To learn more about One Book One Community and discover upcoming events and programs across the parish, visit ebrpl.co/onebook.