Tuesday, April 29th from 4:00 – 5:15 p.m. at the UCSB Library

Join UCSB Reads and Goleta Valley Library for an afternoon of poetry readings in celebration of National Poetry Month! Adults and teens are invited to the UCSB Library (UCen Road, Instruction & Training 1312) on Tuesday, April 29th from 4:00-5:15 p.m. to hear community members read their favorite poems. If you would like to participate by reading, please complete this form with your name and the title and author of the published poem by April 21st. All genres and styles are welcome. Participants will be confirmed and notified by April 23rd. 

The event will kick off with a reading by local poet and UCSB Professor Emerita Shirley Geok-Lin Lim, of one of her favorite poems. Afterward, other participants will read their selected poems to the audience.

This event is free and open to all students, staff, faculty, and community members. Please RSVP in advance, even if you are planning on just listening from the audience. The event may be photographed or recorded.

UCSB Reads is an award-winning program that brings the campus and Santa Barbara communities together to read a common book that explores compelling issues of our time. The UCSB Reads 2025 book selection is The Book of Delights: Essays by Ross Gay and will culminate with a free talk by the author at Campbell Hall on May 8, 2025.

Goleta Valley Library is thrilled to partner with UCSB Reads and UCSB Library, offering poetry programming for our adult and teen library patrons during our temporary closure.  

“A partnership with UCSB has been a frequent suggestion from our patrons for many years,” said City Librarian Elizabeth Saucedo. “We are looking forward to welcoming both UCSB students and members of the community to an afternoon of poetry to connect and engage, especially while Goleta Valley Library is in the process of relocating to our temporary home during construction.”

Stay tuned for more programming and community partnerships throughout each phase of the library project. Visit www.goletavalleylibrary.org for the latest details, calendars, and information.