Celebrating Hispanic American Heritage Month with the SALALM Librarians!
Each year, as part of Hispanic American Heritage Month, UC Berkeley Library’s Social Sciences Division, the Seminar on Acquisitions of Latin American Materials (SALALM) membership committee, and the Oakland Public Library present programs highlighting the contributions of Hispanic Americans to the cultural and intellectual life of the United States.
While discussions about terms such as Hispanic American and Latinx remain important, this webinar focuses on the work of librarians who serve their communities every day. Panelists will discuss their career paths, the challenges and opportunities they have encountered in their professional lives, and their perspectives on area and global studies librarianship including how their expertise can help libraries better serve diverse communities.
The event is free and open to all with advance registration.
Morgan Koo is a senior at UC Berkeley double majoring in History and Ancient Greek and Roman Studies. While her main interests lie in late Second Temple Judaism and early Christianity, Morgan also enjoys the sociocultural aspects of the Ancient Mediterranean such as ancient seafaring & communication.
Life in the 21st century has unparalleled luxuries which ease the pain and inconvenience of distance. Improved technology allows for instantaneous communication with loved ones and relatively quick travel over large distances. Homer’s Odyssey, which has recently experienced a renewed relevance, reminds modern readers of the difficulties of being away from home. For ancient peoples, seafaring was often dangerous—even without the interference of angry deities determined to thwart their homecoming. There was the constant threat of unpredictable and harsh weather patterns, encounters with pirates, and arrival in foreign lands with potentially hostile inhabitants. Much like Odysseus’ frequent invocations of the gods during harsh storms and disembarkation in strange, new lands, a second century C.E. soldier’s letter written on papyrus thanks Lord Serapis, a syncretic Greco-Egyptian deity, for having saved him from danger out at sea (“I thank Lord Serapis that when I was in danger at sea he saved me straight away,” εὐχαριστῶ τῷ κυρίῳ Σεράπιδι ὅτι μου κινδυνεύσαντος εἰς θάλασσαν ἔσωσε εὐθέως: BGU II 423, lines 6-8). However, another letter on papyrus (P.Tebt. II 583) which found its way back home to Tebtunis, a village in Egypt, reveals another pain caused by the uncertainty of distance.
(P.Tebt. II 583)
Sometime after 217 C.E., Aurelius Polion, a soldier in the Roman army’s Second Adriutrix Legion, wrote back home to his family in Tebtunis (full text here). The central concern of the letter is his family’s silence despite his own devotion to them. Accusatory superlatives and juxtapositions pervade the beginning portion of the letter to express his incessant concern for his family in contrast to their complete absence:
Superlative/Juxtapositional Language in Aurelius Polion’s Letter
Aurelius Polion:
prays for family’s health day and night (ν̣υκτ̣ὸς̣ κ̣α̣ὶ̣ [ἡ]μ̣[έρα]ς̣, line 5)
always (πάντοτε) makes worship to all (πᾶ̣σ̣ι) the gods for them (line 5-6)
writes his letters at all times (πάντοτε) and does not stop (οὐκ ἀναπάω̣μαι (= ἀναπαύομαι)) bearing them within his soul (line 6-8)
even while away in Pannonia, he continued to send letters often (π̣ο̣λλάκεις (= πολλάκις), line 12)
His Family:
do not hold him in their mind (κατὰ νοῦ (= νοῦν) με οὐχ (= οὐκ) ἔχεται (= ἔχετε), line 7)
never (οὐ[δ]έ̣ποτέ̣) wrote to him about themselves (line 10)
never (οὐδέποτε) reply to his letters (line 13)
consider Polion as a stranger (ὡς ξένον, line 15-16)
The troubled soldier illustrates the stark difference between his undying care and their apparent silence. Without any word back from home, the sense of estrangement appears particularly palpable.
While Polion complains about the injustice of his family’s silence, the letter also carries an underlying anxiety:
“… And I am worried about you because, although you received letters from me often, never do you write back to me in order that I might know how you are …” (lines 11-13).
The soldier subsequently reveals that he had previously sent six other letters (line 20). Being far from home, the uncertainty of his family’s well-being torments his mind. The soldier was left isolated without any comfort by reply. One could imagine the questions pervading the soldier’s conscience: Was his family intentionally ignoring him? Did something cause them to be unable to write? Were they alive and well? In any case, the uncomfortable silence roused the soldier to threaten his family with a return home:
do not hold me in your mind, I will take a leave of absence from
the consular officer, and I will go towards you in order that you might know
me to be your brother …” (lines 20-23).
While framed as a trip to re-establish his role in the family, the urgency and drastic action suggest a need for assurance of his family’s presence and well-being.
Among the most puzzling portions of the letter are lines 17-19, where the soldier reveals his involuntary participation in the army:
But I regretted that … I departed from you.” (lines 17-19).
The fragmented papyrus leaves much to the imagination. Under what circumstances did Aurelius Polion join the army? Was he forced by Roman officials? By his own family? Does this involuntary service have any relation to his anxiety regarding the family’s well-being or his inability to reach them?
Because Aurelius Polion’s letter was found in Tebtunis, we can ascertain that his letter did indeed arrive home. Letters from his family, in the most ideal circumstance, may have struggled to reach Polion. It was much easier for letters to be sent to a home—which is not subject to constant movement like an army. Thanks to the scholarship of István Kovács, we are able to approximate the letter’s date and locate the Legio II Adiutrix, the army legion that Polion joined. In lines 21-22 of the letter, Aurelius Polion mentions a consular officer from whom he plans to request a leave of absence. Pannonia had been under rule of praetorian governorship until 214 C.E. and was then under the authority of a consular officer. Thus, the letter must be written after 214 C.E. In line 12, Polion locates himself in Pannonia. Caracalla led the Legio II Adiutrix in a campaign against the Parthians between 214 and 217 C.E.; accordingly, the letter’s dating is extended to follow after 217 C.E.
The Greek historian Herodian recorded that Caracalla entered the Egyptian city of Alexandria around 215 C.E. to recruit additional soldiers for his phalanx against the Parthians. It is possible that Polion joined the army on this occasion. Additionally, both Cassius Dio’s Roman History and Herodian’s History of the Roman Empire document Caracalla’s massacre of Alexandrian men around 215 C.E. Such a violent event could be cause for concern. Unfortunately, this letter alone cannot give us clear answers.
What can be known is that communication with loved ones over long distances was often difficult. The sense of alienation could foster a natural anxiety. Stationed in Eastern Europe, Aurelius Polion was separated from his family by a vast sea in both the literal and metaphorical sense. In a manner much similar to this soldier’s, our temporal distance shrouds our ability to understand the reality of his circumstance. We cannot do much but wonder whether a letter was finally sent back to Polion or whether he made his journey home. And, if he did, what he may have found upon arrival.
Bibliography
Adamson, Grant. “A Letter from a Soldier in Pannonia,” BASP 49, 2012, pp. 79-94.
Herodianus. Roman History (History of the Empire from the Time of Marcus).* Livius: https://www.livius.org/sources/content/herodian-s-roman-history/ *see esp. 4.8-9.
Kovács, István. “Brief eines Legionärs aus Pannonien (P. Tebt. 2.583) Philologische und Gattungsanalyse,” Byzanz und das Abendland III. Studia Byzantino-Occidentalia, 2015, pp. 257-281.
Mócsy, András. Pannonia and Upper Moesia: A History of the Middle Danube Provinces of the Roman Empire. Sheppard Frere, transl. Routledge, 1974.
Michael Miller founded Moon Tide Press in 2006. Located in Whittier, CA, Miller turned the press into a Southern California institution for poetry. The press provided space for many unpublished writers, including poet Eric Morago in a 2007 anthology. Over the following years, Morago (along with many others) would publish more with Moon Tide Press and work closely with Miller. In 2016, Morago took over the press when Miller decided it was time to move on to other things.[1] Under Morago’s leadership, Moon Tide has continued publishing two to four collections or anthologies a year alongside arranging readings and community events.
Moon Tide focuses on poetry, encompasses a range of life-moments and emotions. Individual volumes reflect on the horror of life; on remembering friends; of the process of aging.
In 2024, they also picked up the poetry magazine Spillways’ compilation and release. Readers can find information about those activities on Moon Tide Press’ webpage or social media accounts, including their Instagram page.
David Starkey founded Gunpowder Press in 2013 in Santa Barbara with a focus on California poetry. With the first two volumes, Starkey reached out to Chryss Yost to assist with the books’ layout and cover design. Today, with almost 50 volumes, the Starkey and Yost continue to helm the press. Their beautifully designed output showcases individually authored and compilation anthologies.
For their 30th-year anniversary, the Santa Barbara Independent recognized the press among Santa Barbara’s local heroes [1]. The same year, Starkey and Yost started the Anacapa Review. The review seeks to place established and new poets side-by-side, demonstrating the established and continued vibrancy of Santa Barbara’s literary scene.
Readers can find out more about the press’ titles and readings through their website or Instagram page.
At UC Berkeley
Mary Ann McFadden, Rosa Mundi, California Poets (2026).
post authored by: Priya Charagondla, Cody Hennesy, and Anna Sackmann
The Library recently developed a shared direction for our engagement with artificial intelligence, in the form of the UC Berkeley Library AI Principles and Priorities. The first priority we outlined was to empower our community with critical AI literacy, with the goal to equip library staff, instructors, and students with the skills needed to evaluate, use, and teach about generative and agentic AI systems. This priority encompasses not only technical proficiencies and AI fluency, but also key ethical, social, and information literacy dimensions such as environmental impact, bias, copyright complexities, and misinformation.
We launched this effort over the summer, hosting Priya Charagondla, a master’s student with the School of Information, as a Library AI Literacy and Instructional Design Intern. Priya—who shares her experience below—helped us design and deliver a daylong Library Staff AI Exchange event on August 14.
The Library Staff AI Exchange, a hybrid event for librarians, library staff, and campus partners in Research, Teaching, and Learning Commons and Berkeley IT, brought together a diverse range of technical expertise and perspectives. This collaborative forum encouraged attendees to engage with AI literacy and tools within a shared environment of inquiry. Priya Charagondla kicked off the event by presenting her research on how libraries can leverage AI to enhance accessibility. Drawing on her experience as a learner and the capabilities of UC Berkeley’s licensed AI tools, Priya demonstrated how AI can facilitate the creation of accessible learning objects and support learners with diverse abilities in engaging with content.
Following Priya’s presentation, Carol Choi, Data Reference and Collections Librarian at New York University Libraries and Liaison Librarian to the Wagner Graduate School of Public Administration, provided an overview of her AI Essentials workshop: Making the hard sell: teaching against the inevitability narrative of AI. This in-person session enables learners to critically engage with AI technology while reflecting on the broader implications of their research decisions. Together, these presentations provided a foundation for our afternoon discussion on “AI Futures in the Library.” Participants gathered in small groups, both online and in person, to discuss AI’s impact on information literacy, navigate professional tensions, and explore how to strategically evaluate and adopt tools to enhance information discovery, access, and evaluation.
As the 2026–2027 academic year begins, the Library Staff AI Exchange marks a key milestone in defining the Library’s institutional strategy for AI integration. Moving forward, library personnel will have structured opportunities to engage through a re-envisioned AI Community of Practice, while a dedicated cohort of librarians will serve as the coordinating body to guide and implement the Library’s AI literacy initiatives.
AI Literacy and Instructional Design Intern Report
I’m Priya, an incoming second-year MIMS student at UC Berkeley’s School of Information, concentrating in Human-Computer Interaction and AI. This summer, I’ve been the AI Literacy and Instructional Design Intern here at the Library, and it’s been an exciting, perfect fit for where I’m at in the program. The I School pushes you to think about technology through the lens of the people actually using it, and that’s exactly the mindset I brought into this project.
It’s not my first rodeo at a library either: I was a UX intern at the UC Santa Cruz Library before this. This summer I was also an AI intern at NASA, experimenting with AI models on real technical use cases. So I came into this project with experience on both sides: human-centered design and technical AI.
My focus this summer has been exploring AI literacy and accessibility by building a professional development workshop that helps librarians support faculty and students using AI tools for accessible, inclusive instructional design. To understand the current space of AI at the library, I spent my first few weeks talking with people across departments—Scholarly Communications about copyright and AI, Data & Digital Scholarship Services, instruction librarians about AI literacy, and Digital Accessibility about the accessibility and Gemini work already happening here.
Inspired by both my past accessibility work at UC Santa Cruz and these conversations, I wanted to explore how AI could make daily tasks more accessible for everyone. But honestly, the best thing I did was reach out to my friends and fellow students to understand how they actually use AI and where it holds up. I ended up shaping my personas around those lived experiences. The project took shape around three campus-licensed tools: Gemini Gems, Gemini Live, and Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM). I built three accessibility personas, each grounded in a real student or instructor, to show exactly how each tool can help.
A few other takeaways stuck with me along the way:
Librarians want to help, but they are stretched thin trying to keep up with how fast these tools change.
When it comes to instruction, not every learning style responds the same way to each tool. I learned that whatever you build has to be as usable and adaptable as possible—not just one more thing to learn.
Nearly everyone I talked to landed on the same idea: AI should be a bridge to help someone get past a block or engage with material differently, while still keeping the primary source material at the center.
That idea shaped the whole workshop, which I had the opportunity to present, along with my summer findings, at the AI Library Staff Exchange on August 14.
I’m so grateful to the many librarians and staff across UC Berkeley who shared their own stories of using AI; it was eye-opening to hear how differently people lean on it depending on their goals. For anyone exploring AI tools who wants good results, my biggest piece of advice is to stay in the loop. You’re in charge, so keep up to date on new model capabilities, be mindful of what you share with these tools, and take a close look at the AI use policies before interacting.
Coming from the School of Information, where so much of what we study is designing technology around real human needs, this project felt like a direct extension of my coursework and my prior time at the UCSC Library. I’m so thankful to the Library for giving me room to build something I think librarians can actually use! Special thanks to my mentors Cody Hennesy and Anna Sackmann, as well as Joe Feria-Galicia and Luis Hernández Muñiz, for this experience.
The first workshop is coming up on September 17. RSVP at the link below!
Copyright and Your Dissertation
Date/Time: Thursday, September 17, 2026, 11am PT / 2pm ET RSVP to get the Zoom link
This workshop will provide you with practical guidance for navigating copyright questions and other legal considerations for your dissertation or thesis. Whether you’re just starting to write or you’re getting ready to file, you can use our tips to figure out what you can use, what rights you have as an author, and what it means to share your dissertation online.
You never know what exactly you’ll encounter when searching the UC Berkeley Library’s Digital Collections. This afternoon I happened to come across some photographs taken by the Dutch-born photographer Johan Hagemeyer (1884-1962). His family immigrated to California to grow fruit trees but he soon became enamored with photography. Before long, he opened a portrait studio in San Francisco and another in Carmel-by-the-Sea. These portraits could have been taken in either location as Spanish Catalan artist Salvador Dalí and his wife Gala were spending long summers in Pebble Beach from 1941-1948. The landscape and sea reminded them of the fishing village of Cadaqués, which they had left for Paris during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) followed by New York when France was invaded during World War II.
The Johan Hagemeyer Photograph Collection in The Bancroft Library comprises the bulk of what was the photographer’s personal archive at the time of his death in Berkeley in 1962. The collection contains approximately 6,785 photographic prints and negatives, and spans from his earliest known amateur work of ca. 1908 to his later works of the mid-1950s.
In July of 2021, the Library launched UC Library Search, a new way to discover everything the library has to offer. UCLS represented a significant shift in our approach to searching the library. In honor of the five year anniversary, here are five things students, faculty, and staff need to know about UCLS.
1. More than just a catalog
Instead of searching multiple systems depending on what you’re looking for and where it’s located, UCLS lets you find articles, books and every other format with one search query. In addition to the traditional library catalog, UCLS includes a massive index of articles, videos, data, ebooks, audio, images, etc. from libraries around the world. The default search setting (articles, books, and more) returns results whether or not UC Berkeley has a copy. It is still possible to search the traditional local catalog by going to Advanced Search and selecting UC Berkeley catalog under Search for.
2. More than just UC Berkeley
Why show results that aren’t on campus? Because you have access to resources from every UC library and libraries around the world through interlibrary loan. UCLS is a shared system used by all the UC libraries. You can see and directly request what is available from UCLA and all other UC campuses. Regardless of whether the resource you need is in Berkeley, elsewhere in the UC system, or held by another library even further afield, we can get it for you. To limit to UC Berkeley resources only, select UC Berkeley under UC Libraries in the Refine your results menu.
3. Sign in with your CalNet Login for full results
This yellow banner appears when searching without signing in to UC Library Search.
Many digital articles, books, videos, datasets, etc. will only appear in your search results when you are signed in. You can also view your account to see what you have checked out, any outstanding requests you’ve made, or save complex searches for later use.
4. Focus your search with facets
Start with a basic search then use the menu of options to the left of your search results, known as facets, to refine your results. Select facets to show only items available online or limit your search by date, resource type, language, location, and more. Need accessible resources? Our newest facet, Accessibility Information, limits to results with features like braille, subtitles, audio description, etc. More accessibility formats will be added as this facet is further developed.
5. Use UCLS with confidence
Want to learn how to search UCLS better? See our UC Library Search User Guide for an in-depth overview of features and tips.
Want more advice from Library staff? Chat with, email, or book an appointment with one of our librarians to discuss best tactics for your searches.
Want to share your experience with UCLS? Fill out our UCLS feedback form to submit your thoughts directly to our UCLS team.
The workshop series provides authors with the legal and professional frameworks necessary to navigate the modern publishing landscape. Sessions will address the complexities of copyright and generative AI, practical guidance for publishing a scholarly book, and the careful use of metrics to assess and enhance impact.
All events are free and all authors are welcome to attend. Event descriptions and links to RSVP are below. Please feel free to share with interested students and colleagues.
Workshops
Copyright and Your Dissertation
Date/Time: Thursday, September 17, 2026, 11am PT / 2pm ET RSVP to get the Zoom link
This workshop will provide you with practical guidance for navigating copyright questions and other legal considerations for your dissertation or thesis. Whether you’re just starting to write or you’re getting ready to file, you can use our tips to figure out what you can use, what rights you have as an author, and what it means to share your dissertation online.
Managing and Maximizing Your Scholarly Impact
Date/Time: Tuesday, October 13, 2026, 11am PT / 2pm ET RSVP to get the Zoom link
This workshop will provide you with practical strategies and tips for promoting your scholarship, increasing your citations, and monitoring your success. You’ll also learn how to understand metrics, use scholarly networking tools, and evaluate journals and publishing options, including open access publishing options.
From Dissertation to Book: Navigating the Publication Process
Date/Time: Tuesday, November 17, 2026, 11am PT / 2pm ET RSVP to get the Zoom link
Hear from a panel of experts—an acquisitions editor, a first-time book author, and an author rights expert—about the process of turning your dissertation into a book. You’ll come away from this panel discussion with practical advice about revising your dissertation, writing a book proposal, approaching editors, signing your first contract, and navigating the peer review and publication process.
Research & Writing in the Age of AI: Legal and Practical Considerations
Date/Time: Tuesday, December 8, 2026, 11am PT/ 2pm ET RSVP to get the Zoom link
This workshop will help you navigate the legal and practical questions that AI tools raise for academic authors. We’ll cover how using generative AI in your research and writing can affect your copyright and authorship, what current publisher and journal policies require you to disclose, and how AI training on scholarly work intersects with your rights as an author. You’ll leave with a working understanding of where the law currently stands, what remains unsettled, and how to make informed choices about using these tools in your own work.
Other ways we can help you
In addition to the workshops, we’re here to help answer a variety of questions you might have on intellectual property, digital publishing, and information policy.
Have a question about copyright and artificial intelligence (AI) in relation to research and scholarship? Or your rights and responsibilities in using library-licensed materials for AI use? View the AI page on our website for guidance.
Do you want to create an open digital textbook? Take a look at UC Berkeley’s Open Book Publishing platform (anyone with a @berkeley.edu email can sign up for a free account).
Keep an eye on the Library’s events calendar for more workshops and trainings.
Want help or more information? Send us an email at schol-comm@berkeley.edu. We can provide individualized support and personal consultations, online class instruction, presentations and workshops for small or large groups & classes, and customized support and training for departments and disciplines.
Readers can find out more about the press’ titles and readings through their 
