The spotlight has been on University of Hull alumni at the Brynmor Jones Library this month. Running until the end of January, Spotlight On is showcasing work by alumni such as James Graham, Tracy Borman, Chris Mullin, Jenni Murray, Matt Haig and Lucy Beaumont, to inspire students, staff and those visiting on Open Days. Alumni are invited to visit the Library and see the exhibition, and also to take a look at the accompanying reading list on the Libby reading app.

Nicole Szenher from the Spotlight team told us about the Spotlight On Hull Alumni exhibition:

‘With many books and films written and produced by our alumni already available in the library, we saw the potential to curate a dedicated Alumni Spotlight On collection. We were able to purchase new books to support the collection through the Libby reading app, which expanded the number of alumni we were able to include. We chose January for the theme as the January 14^th Open Day presented the opportunity to showcase the work of our alumni to potential new students visiting the University with their families. The display features books and films with accompanying labels for visitors to read about our alumni and the work they have done since graduating from the University of Hull, and QR codes help them access the online content. We hope that the display will help inspire our potential new students and encourage them to choose Hull.’

The Spotlight On collection has been running for several years now. Every month the Library curates a small ‘spotlight on’ collection. Previous topics include: the history of the NHS; Halloween; Black History Month; Mental Health Awareness, and many more. It provides students with a different way of engaging with a vast collection of work both in print and online, inviting them to engage with work they might not have previously considered and giving them an insight into books that they might not have encountered before.

Nicole said: ‘Spotlight On began in early 2019 with the aim of highlighting lesser-known resources in our library collections, such as fiction, films, and local history. From there it became a monthly endeavor that has been receiving increasing attention from students and staff alike. The dedicated Spotlight Team curate the monthly collections centered around a chosen theme and create a display in the library’s Reading Room. A reading list accompanies the display and is promoted across our social media channels, encouraging our library users to explore the full collection. Themes are chosen based on awareness events, celebrations, popular topics, and more. Some themes are repeated each year, such as Black History Month, LGBT+ History Month, and Leisure Reading.’

The full collection is available to explore through the University of Hull Alumni reading list. Take a look and let us know which books you’ve read, which ones you plan on getting around to, and which hidden gems we really shouldn’t miss. Our recommendation is Ed Parnell’s wonderful Ghostland.

You can read our interview with Ed here >>