Mesa Public Library hosts writer-in-residence office hours, workshops

Mesa Public Library

Mesa Public Library is helping aspiring writers sharpen their craft through its writer-in-residence program.

From now through July 18, author Oscar Mancinas will offer one-on-one consultations and workshops for emerging and experienced writers at the Main Library, 64 E. First St.

Among the events he is hosting:

• Mancinas will offer 30-minute one-on-one consultations from May through July for writers seeking feedback, guidance and support on their work. Dates and times vary; appointments are required and can be booked through the library’s event calendar.
• 
  Blackout/collage poetry workshop 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 28, at the Main Library, 64 E. First St. Participants will explore how existing texts can be transformed into new works of poetry and prose through blackout and collage techniques. Using examples and guided exercises, the workshop encourages attendees to rethink the words and stories they encounter every day.
• “Thoughts & Poems: The Legacy of Ofelia Zepeda and Sun Tracks on Arizona Literature,” 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 4, at the Main Library, 64 E. First St. This presentation explores the impact of poet, linguist and editor Ofelia Zepeda and the Sun Tracks Publishing Series on Arizona literature and Indigenous voices. The session will conclude with a free-writing exercise focused on collaboration, storytelling and creative expression.

Mancinas is a Rarámuri-Chicano poet, scholar and teacher from Mesa. His published works include the 2020 short story collection “To Live and Die in El Valle” and the 2022 collection of poetry “des__: papeles, palabras, & poems from the desert.”

The writer-in-residence program is supported by the Arizona State Library, a division of the secretary of state, with federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

For information on programs at Mesa Public Library, call 480-644-3100 or go to mesalibrary.org/writerinresidence.