Rediscovering Roots in the Stacks: A Brazilian Student’s Reconnection through Cataloging

Abstract

My time at Goldey-Beacom College’s Hirons Library working on a recataloging project unexpectedly connected me with my Brazilian heritage, far beyond my assigned copy cataloging tasks. Finding Dom Casmurroby Machado de Assis among the books brought me back to my high school days in Brazil, making Wilmington, Delaware, feel closer to home. This experience underlined the crucial role academic libraries serve as cultural bridges, offering students like me the opportunity to explore our heritage and discover new cultural experiences.

Encountering books I’d read back in Brazil made me remember my home and consider reading the library’s copy of Dom Casmurro in English, aiming to see the story fresh. This wasn’t just about rereading a familiar story but about appreciating what I associated with my home, family, friends, and high school teacher.