Sustainability and Creativity

Hans Wholebean and Rob Lopresti

Whenever we talk about “sustainability,” one topic that comes up over and over again is consumption. Reducing our consumption is vitally important to creating a more sustainable world. I think one important way we can reduce our consumption is to increase our creativity.

I started thinking about this a bit more last Thursday after I had the pleasure of listening to Western Libraries’ (and The Green Shelf’s) very own Rob Lopresti at a reading in the library skybridge in honor of his prize-winning novella, “The Red Envelope.” Not only was the talk Rob gave very entertaining and stimulating, I also really enjoyed listening to him answer questions about how he engages with his own creative process. Rob is an example of someone who continually creates, despite working full time as a librarian and having a very busy life, because he is truly a writer, and being creative is such a strong part of who he is.

I am constantly in awe of the people I work with here at the library as I learn more and more about their interests and pursuits. I am very fortunate to work with so many talented people every day—so many artists and writers and creative thinkers. While it is too late for you to catch Rob’s reading, there are a few other library-sponsored events happening this Tuesday featuring a few of these same creative people.

For starters, this coming Tuesday, May 14, from noon to 1:00 pm at Village Books, Reference Specialist Julene Sodt will be speaking about “Breaking Knitting Stereotypes” as part of the Western Connections Speaker series, (sponsored by both our wonderful local bookstore Village Books, and also by Western Libraries). Julene will be talking about how people from all walks of life succumb to the joys of needles and yarn as she shares her experiences with us about a library knitting circle and virtual networks for the addicted knitter.

Later that same day at 4:00 pm, eight poets, including Western Libraries’ very own talented poets, Paul Piper and Allen Frost, will be hosting a poetry reading. (Featured poets will also include: Bruce Beasley, Ryler Dustin, Nancy Pagh, Suzanne Paola, Jeremy Voigt, and Mishon Wooldridge.) This event, called “Pod of Poets,” is free and open to the public. It will be held in the Library Presentation Room, Wilson Library 164, and promises to be very engaging.

Then, that same evening beginning at 6:30 pm, Western Libraries and the Pickford FilmCenter will present the amazing Yasujirō Ozu film Late Spring at the Pickford theatre as part of the Masters of Japanese Cinema series that another one of my favorite people, Western Libraries’ own librarian Jeff Purdue, has helped create. I am looking forward to this thoughtful and lovely film because I know there is much from it that will linger with me later as I go about my own daily life.

Whether we are writing a story or a poem, painting a picture, or knitting a sweater, facilitating a meaningful event, or even cooking a delicious meal to share with someone we love, these are all creative pursuits that require us to put our skills, talents and energy towards making something, usually with the goal of somehow sharing what we make with the people in our lives. These personal connections are a fundamental part of what really sustains us, of what makes our lives meaningful. So I hope I will see you at one of these awesome events happening this Tuesday, because creativity is contagious and inspiring, and often exposure to one creative thing leads to another…