The Library of Congress has approved a proposal from the West Virginia Library Commission for the creation of a West Virginia Center for the Book that will be affiliated with the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.
"This is a welcome development," said Center for the Book Director John Y. Cole. "We look forward to working with West Virginia's community of the book on many grassroots projects, beginning with a West Virginia literary map for use in schools, libraries and in promoting cultural tourism." The West Virginia center will be the national center's 41st state affiliate in a reading and literacy promotion network that also includes the District of Columbia.
"The West Virginia Library Commission sees the new West Virginia Center for the Book as a great opportunity for expanding our efforts to recognize West Virginia's rich literary heritage," said Commission Executive Director David M. Price. "We also will focus on improved literacy for our citizens and increased support for the literary arts throughout West Virginia."
The advisory board for the new center will include representatives of the Library Commission, the West Virginia Humanities Council, authors, librarians, book sellers, publishers, scholars, corporate sponsors and others interested in promoting books and the literary arts. The West Virginia Center for the Book will be supported by grants, donations and in-kind services. The Library Commission will serve as its home, contribute the services of the coordinator and provide clerical assistance and publications support.
Each affiliated state center for the book works closely with the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress to promote books, reading, literacy and libraries. Once approved, the affiliation lasts three years, and state centers must formally request each three-year renewal. For further information, consult the Center for the Book's Web site at www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook.
For further information about the West Virginia Center for the Book, contact Jennifer A. Soule, Adult and Senior Services Coordinator, W.Va. Library Commission, 1900 Kanawha Blvd. East, Charleston, WV 25305; telephone (304) 558-3978, ext. 343; e-mail: souleja@wvlc.lib.wv.us.
Books & Beyond: Theodore Zeldin Visits the Library
British historian Theodore Zeldin (center), featured speaker at the Center for the Book's "Books & Beyond " program on Sept. 28, talked with panelists Judi Moore Latta, professor and acting chair of the Department of Radio, TV and Film at Howard University, and Murray Horwitz, vice president of cultural programming for National Public Radio. They were joined by Michael Kahn, artistic director of the Shakespeare Theatre, for a conversation about Mr. Zeldin's new book, Conversation (Hidden-Spring, 2000). Best known in the United States as the author of An Intimate History of Humanity (HarperCollins, 1995), Mr. Zeldin is a fellow and former dean of St. Anthony's College, Oxford, and a member of the BBC Brains Trust, the British Academy and the European Academy. - John Y. Cole
Texas Book Festival
Center for the Book Director John Y. Cole participated in the fifth annual Texas Book Festival, which was held in Austin on Nov. 10-12. Texas's first lady, Laura Bush, a former school librarian and festival founder, greeted guests at the opening banquet, reminding them that they were part of America's "democracy of reading." Mrs. Bush emphasized that all proceeds from the Texas Book Festival, now one of the largest literary events in the country, benefit the public libraries of Texas. The first four festivals awarded nearly $890,000 in grants to 325 libraries throughout the state. The 2000 festival showcased more than 140 authors who gave presentations or took part in panel discussions in the state capitol building (including the chambers of the House of Representatives and the Senate) and its extension. Outside the building, a book fair featured 92 exhibitors and special tents for book signings by authors of adult and children's books, poetry readings and musical entertainment.
The Texas Center for the Book at the Dallas Public Library was one of the exhibitors. At the booth, Texas Center for the Book coordinator Gail Bialas distributed Texas Center posters and promoted its projects, especially Letters About Literature, which invites students to write essays about their favorite books. She also held periodic drawings for a book about Texas history or literature.
Books & Beyond: Harold Bloom
Author and scholar Harold Bloom, Sterling Professor of Humanities at Yale, discussed his latest book, How to Read and Why, on June 28 as part of the Center for the Book's "Books & Beyond" author series. The audience included many of his former students, including the National Digital Library's Pam Roper Wagner. - John Y. Cole
‘New York Is Book Country' Book Fair and Public Readings On Sept. 24
For the 11th consecutive year, the Center for the Book participated in "New York Is Book Country," one of the nation's largest and busiest book fairs. More than 200,000 book lovers attended the fair, held on Sept. 24 on Fifth Avenue between 48th and 57th streets. The center, represented by Program Officer Maurvene D. Williams, shared an exhibit booth with Friends of Libraries U.S.A. In addition to distributing bookmarks and information about the Library of Congress and the Center for the Book, the major activity was a "Building a Nation of Readers Readathon" for young fair goers. More than 100 youngsters, often assisted by friends, parents or care givers, stepped up to the podium to read a selection from a handy notebook prepared for the occasion. - Maurvene D. Williams
