"We had to bring Night at the Library forward by a few weeks"

Programme maker Maaike Wijnen discusses the festival on 9 October

On 9 October, One Book One Campus presents Night at the Library in the ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ Library City Centre. It is a festival evening based on the themes of the book Birnam Wood. Maaike Wijnen is involved as a programme maker and we spoke to her about the festival, the extra pressure caused by the elections and how she and her colleagues still managed to put together a fun and surprising programme.

"I would like to hear Robin Aanstoot's story," Maaike replies when asked which part of the programme she herself would like to attend on 9 October. "I also think it's great that we are there with Special Collections." She says that she herself has little to do with activism, but still wants to hear what student Merlijn van Leerzem has to say about it. "I'm very curious about his story!" 
 

I enjoy social gatherings and networking

Programmamaker Maaike Wijnen kijkt lachend naar de camera. Ze staat voor een boekenkast in de Universiteitsbibliotheek Utrecht Binnenstad.

"I put together the festival programme, together with Vivian Haalboom-Vreugdenburg and Katrien Pouwels," says Maaike. "It was very exciting, because organising a large event around One Book One Campus is completely new to us." The sudden fall of the cabinet and the date of the elections put even more pressure on the project team. ‘We had to bring Night at the Library forward by a few weeks.’

Maaike Wijnen staat in de Universiteitsbibliotheek Utrecht Binnenstad. Ze staat naast een boekenkast, kijkt lachend naar de camera en heeft een opengeslagen boek in haar handen.

‘I have a large network, which made it fairly easy to find parties and speakers for the festival,’ Maaike says about what helped her in this situation. ‘I love social gatherings and networking,’ she adds with a laugh. ‘There's always something going on there.’  She is referring to the many people she meets and the conversations she has. ‘I mention what I'm working on, get people thinking, or hear something that I can immediately use for an event,’ she explains her approach.

I hope to see students and staff strolling through our beautiful building and across the courtyard in a festival-like atmosphere

Programmamaker Maaike Wijnen kijkt lachend naar de camera. Ze staat voor een boekenkast in de Universiteitsbibliotheek Utrecht Binnenstad.

The result is a festival programme for and by UU members. "Birnam Wood has many links to Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ's year theme, Healthy Planet," says Maaike. The festival aims to appeal to a wide audience. "Not everyone has stay the whole evening," she explains. "There are lots of different, fun things to do, and I hope to see students and staff strolling through our beautiful building and across the courtyard in a festival-like atmosphere."