Outreach and Inclusion Librarian Connects With Campus Community

Irma Ramos Arreaga started her role as Cal State San Marcos' outreach and inclusion librarian last February. 

Before joining CSUSM, Ramos Arreaga worked at a public library in San Mateo, where she helped with children's services such as story times, arts and crafts, and community work.

“The reason that I came here was because the job was very similar,” Ramos Arreaga said. “With outreach, you're doing a lot of work in the community. In this case, the community is the campus, and so all the outreach that I was doing for children is experience that I use here, just in a different setting.

“There's typically not a lot of outreach librarians at university libraries. A lot of the time, outreach is embedded into other jobs. In recent years, outreach has become its own job to further connect with the student body. I like outreach because I like talking to people, I like connecting to people, and I get that more in my position than in a different academic library position. I like that CSUSM is a Hispanic-Serving Institution and that I would be able to help my community.”

Ramos Arreaga’s position has two different parts. On the outreach side, she's like the library's personal cheerleader, helping plan events, scoping out new services while promoting the current ones and overall connecting people to the library. 

On the inclusion side, Ramos Arreaga helps develop new programs through the library, and she works hard to make sure each program is meaningful and inspiring for those who participate. 

“The focus is really bringing new perspectives, new identities and new discourse for the campus to be a part of," she said. “We're being inclusive of the different populations on campus through our programming. As we are planning for programs, we're thinking of what groups to highlight and what would be representative and impactful for our campus.” 

The day-to-day schedule looks very different for Ramos Arreaga depending on the time of year. Many of her days are spent planning or hosting events in the library. Her busiest time of year is before each semester when the library prepares each art exhibit for the campus population. 

The Context Exhibit Series this semester features the work of Isidro Pérez García, whose exhibit is titled “Migratory Land Knowledges.” 

“Isidro Pérez García was inspired by his life,” Ramos Arreaga said. “He lived in the States undocumented for 20 years. A lot of the experiences that he had working under-the-table jobs influenced the exhibit, and then his background from Mexico, being from the countryside, working on farmland, that knowledge is also embedded into the artwork. Everything in the exhibit was made by him. The frames in the exhibit include handmade paper. The ink is made from cochineal (cochinilla), which lives on cacti. He harvested this parasitic insect and made ink out of it, which is an ancestral practice. He made all the anatomical hearts that are on the spiral table. He made the spiral table with the help of his brother, using scraps from an old furniture company that he worked at. Every decision that he made for every piece has a purpose. It's very meaningful.”

Long before an exhibit is set up at Kellogg Library, an artist must be located. Finding the artist takes a combination of going out to see community exhibits and sourcing through connections. After a potential artist is found, Ramos Arreaga meets with them and thoroughly views their collection, making sure they are a fit for the campus. 

Ramos Arreaga’s connection with the artists continues after the exhibit is completed. Eager to get the community involved, Ramos Arreaga invites the artist on campus for a workshop. For the library exhibit last fall, artist Salvador de la Torre came to campus and led students in a printing workshop. 

The workshop this semester will take place March 27 from noon-1:30 p.m. Pérez García will be bringing handmade paper and teaching attendees to harvest and create ink with the insects he uses to create his ink. Students will learn to balance the pH level to the ink and change the colors. Students will be able to use the paper to create their own designs and paint.

All the work Ramos Arreaga does on campus is in collaboration with the outreach team, including Rosa Rodriguez, James Guerrero and Victoria Holley.  

In addition to the exhibit workshops, Ramos Arreaga helps Allison Carr, the academic transitions librarian, run CSUSM’s Common Read program. Multiple times during the academic year, the library organizes programs relating to Common Read. Once again this year, the selection focuses on banned books. The library gives out free banned books at several of these events.  

“Who doesn't like giving out free books?” Ramos Arreaga said. “But people are usually really excited, and we interact with a lot of people in a short amount of time. So it's nice to see the campus and give out books.”

That is ultimately what Ramos Arrega hopes to accomplish in her role: see the lively campus and spread the love of books to the community. 

Upcoming Events

Common Read Banned Book Giveaway: March 4, noon-12:50 p.m., Kellogg Library

Meet the Artist: Isidro Pérez Garcia: March 18, 5-7 p.m., Kellogg Reading Room (fifth floor)

Exhibit Workshop: March 27, noon-1:30 p.m., The Makery (second floor)
 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314