South America

You might not think of walking into a library when you’re traveling, and it used to be that I didn’t either. I think it was stumbling on the Biblioteca Nacional del Perú that changed it for me.

I don’t remember what it was that afternoon during our (otherwise awesome) 2005 Peru trip that had gotten us down. Just that Lima’s big city, horn-honking, rumbling-diesel, street vendors/restauranteurs/bus drivers-shouting-for-customers cacophony had suddenly overwhelmed us, when we realized we were standing in front of Peru’s National Library. It wasn’t on the agenda, but we decided to duck in.

In stark contrast to the noisy streets, it was so quiet I was worried about the sound of my shoes on the marble floors. We took a few random turns and found ourselves in this beautifully serene garden courtyard, separated from the city by a two-story wall but feeling miles away.

We practically collapsed onto one of the benches. It was just the respite we needed at that moment. By the time we returned inside, we were composed enough to want to look around. In the center of the cavernous main room, there was this amazing Don Quijote exhibit with rare books, sketches and sculpture.

Since Phillip and I love books and art and the comically (tragically?) romantic Quijote, this made our day. I wouldn’t have thought there would be anything for non-locals at a library, but we came away from the experience with souls nourished – and with a deeper respect for libraries as places with something to offer everyone, not just cardholders.

I remembered this when I was visiting a library closer to home a few weeks ago and saw Scottsdale Public Library’s new gallery for art exhibitions. It’s currently devoted to a pretty fabulous Steampunk display (through Saturday 1/25). You don’t have to be into the steampunk scene to appreciate the artistry of the handmade costumes and props.

My own city of Tempe’s library displays art on a single wall near their cafe. They don’t list exhibitions on their site, so discovering great work from local artists John Nelson and Troy Mark Moody during a recent visit was an unexpected bonus with my coffee.

I started thinking about other libraries I’ve happened to visit when traveling and whether they put art on display.

The Library of Congress, which is kind of our own U.S. national library, has several art exhibits at any given time. Currently, they are displaying photos from the March on Washington, pre-columbian ceramics from the Americas, and cartoons (in at least two galleries).

Lots of college campus libraries display art, as well.

We noticed a small gallery in a corner during a tour of Fuller Theological Seminary’s main campus in Pasadena, California, and I found that their David Allan Hubbard Library regularly exhibits artistic and historical collections from its archives.

Although we weren’t able to get in while we were there, many of Dr. Seuss’s sketches are housed in the somewhat seussical-looking Geisel Library building on UC San Diego’s campus.

How do you find out about art on display at libraries? It’s not always publicized. Your best bet is to look for an “exhibitions” link on the library’s site, but they may not even mention them. If you’re exploring a new city and pass by the library, I’d recommend stopping in. You might be pleasantly surprised at what you find.

A library can be both a respite for the weary and a window into the community. They’re open spaces you can visit without making a reservation or paying admission. In addition to art, libraries may exhibit artifacts or rare books or local projects. The Ouray Public Library has a whole display case of geodes, fitting for an area where geology is so important.

While reading too many stories of knights and giants may drive you mad, visiting libraries can put you on more solid footing.

Although I didn’t go to any libraries when I was on the man of La Mancha’s home turf, I felt I owed it to him to check in on what’s happening at the Biblioteca de Castilla-La Mancha now. I found something you rarely see in library reading rooms: performance art. Specifically, an exuberant (dare I say quixotic?) flash-mob style celebration of its 15th anniversary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCCMYDk7YmM

Libraries are full of art – and surprises.

It’s easier to think about only the positive aspects of travel and ignore the negative impact tourism can sometimes bring. But ignoring it doesn’t make it go away.

Tourists tend to have money to spend, maybe even more than the local population. It’s not just restaurants and souvenir shops that look to profit from the influx of cash, people who exploit children also follow the tourism money. A larger event brings in more cash-flush visitors looking for a good time and more potential for human trafficking into the area.

Brazil is second only to Thailand in the number of underage prostitutes, an estimated 500,000. Tourism fuels this industry, and Brazil is a popular destination for many reasons, including Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. With the addition of two global-scale events – World Cup Soccer in 2014 and the Rio Olympics in 2016 – the problem could increase exponentially.

While the Brazilian government has been working to reduce underage prostitution in recent years, there is also a grassroots, primarily volunteer-run network of Brazilian non-governmental agencies, RENAS, which is working to fight sexual violence against minors. Their Bola Na Rede campaign is focused specifically on the World Cup.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsCGmkSs8vs

I heard about this from my friend Michel Duarte, who is moving his family back to his home country of Brazil to join this effort. He showed this video about RENAS and the Bola Na Rede campaign at my church. My heart broke when I learned how widespread the problem was and how such beautiful events, like the Olympics, can also bring opportunity for something as horrible as exploiting young girls and boys.

Since then, I’ve been thinking about what we can do, even if we’re not going to Brazil. Financial support is a good start.

Maybe it’s just my overdeveloped sense of responsibility, but I feel maybe there is more.

Cover of a guide to protecting children from sexual violence from the Bola Na Rede’s resources section.

We can stop ignoring the problem and raise awareness. If you know someone going to Brazil, you can let them know they can report human rights abuses, including suspected incidences of underage prostitution, by dialing 100 for a government hotline.

We can also resist the xenophobia that says people of other cultures are less smart, less important, more flawed than we are. When people make comments that stereotype or imply others are lesser beings, it’s easier to ignore the comment and move on. I’ve been guilty of this. Maybe that’s part of the problem, part of the thinking that allows us to believe that children and teens who live faraway are different than our neighbors, that they deserve less dignity than our sisters, daughters, nieces.

Maybe fighting for human rights abroad starts at home.

Visit the Duartes’ page to subscribe to their newsletter and learn more ways to get involved.

I’m participating in Blog Action Day ’13. Read more articles on Human Rights from bloggers around the world at blogactionday.org.

Tag: South America

Why I look for art in libraries (and what else I’ve found)

When tourism brings exploitation