The Luciano Guajardo Historical Collection at the Joe A. Guerra Laredo Public Library recently launched Stories of Laredo: Community Journaling, a program intended to bring the community together to journal and reflect on the history of our city and the myriad of ways our lives and experiences shape it.
Guajardo, a librarian, library director, and forward-thinking leader who tirelessly advocated for libraries and the preservation of Laredo’s history established the Historical Collection in 1951, beginning with a few items. The collection now spans shelves of historical documents, photographs, artifacts, microfilm, scrapbooks, ledgers, and newspapers, to name a few. It’s a treasure trove of local history.
Through this journaling workshop, the community can create a richer Historical Collection and portrait of Laredo for future generations.
History is not just facts and maps in a book; it’s also deeply personal. It’s easy to forget we’re a part of history, and that we’re continuously living it. Although it’s important to read the books, honor the artifacts, and learn from the past, it’s equally important to document our own lives and memories.
Journaling serves as a perfect medium to preserve the present and capture the lived experiences of a community. It’s not just a method to document history; it is also a way to hone writing creativity and self expression, and reduce the stress and anxiety of our day to day routines.
The journals written in this program are first-hand accounts of our community, and they will one day become records of what life in Laredo was once like.
At the end of the program, participants who wish to donate any of their entries to the library’s Historical Collection are invited to do so.
In the journaling process participants are offered prompts, such as writing about their favorite memories in Laredo or their favorite places in the city, to inspire their writing. They’re encouraged to describe all that they can about their experiences and use their memories of the colors, smells, tastes, and sounds of Laredo to journal. Participants have 15 to 20 minutes to write for each prompt, and after the writing sessions are over, those who wish to share what they have written with the rest of the group are encouraged to read their entries aloud.
The next journaling session will be held on Tuesday, July 14, at 6 p.m. at the Joe A. Guerra Laredo Public Library’s Historical Collection. The community is invited to share their stories, reminisce about the past and the present of Laredo with others, and take an active part in the historical preservation of Laredo.
Future Laredoans may one day read these journals to better understand their city and themselves. The Laredo we know and love so well will live in these pages permanently as a period in time as lived history preserved in words and stories.
For more information on the journaling program, call (956) 795-2400, Ext. 2507.
