Mayor Jonathan Rothschild had some help as he unveiled a new addition to the growing number of neighborhood lending libraries.
Standing in front of dozens of volunteers helping set up the ninth annual Tucson Festival of Books on the University of Arizona lawn, Rothschild was joined by U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, Tucson’s new Poet Laureate TC Tolbert and University of Arizona Poetry Center Executive Director Tyler Meier.
A published poet himself, Rothschild said he was proud to have a small part in one of the largest book festivals in the country.
“Some people love that new car smell. Like many Tucsonans, I love that new book smell,” he said.
After welcoming the Obama-appointed Herrera back to Tucson, the mayor explained what happened to Tucson’s last poet laureate.
Tucson poet laureate TC Tolbert speaks during a press conference after being announced on March 10, 2017, at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz.
“Our former poet laureate, Rebecca Seiferle, moved out of state, so, working with the Arts Foundation of Tucson and Southern Arizona and the University of Arizona Poetry Center we put out a call for applications,” he said. “There were a number of strong candidates, but ultimately we selected TC Tolbert.”
Tolbert, a poet and teacher who graduated with a master’s in fine arts from the UA and is heavily involved in social justice causes, briefly addressed the crowd, teasing it was great to hear Rothschild and Herrera speak his name.
Rothschild then brought Arizona Daily Star Publisher Mark Henschen forward to unveil a new program providing new books to local lending libraries as well as putting new lending libraries — retooled newspaper vending machines — into city parks.
The Star is expected to provide about 50 new books a month to the city’s park division, which will distribute the books to the community through the lending libraries. The books are free to take, with the hope that residents will return them or replace them with other books to keep the shelves stocked for everyone.
“It is basically a new, free community lending library,” Rothschild said. “I can’t think of a better place to sit and read a book than on a bench or under a tree in one of our city parks.”
Tucson Parks and Recreation Director Joan Stauch said new books could be hitting the streets in a few days, with new mini-libraries fashioned from old newspaper vending machines to start appearing in city parks next month.
