The Library of Congress has approved proposals for new state centers for the book from Hawaii and New Jersey. Each will be affiliated with the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress for 2002-2004, then eligible for renewal for three-year periods. "This is a wonderful development," said Center for the Book Director John Y. Cole. "It marks Hawaii's first center and a brand new center for New Jersey, where the state library hosted a state center from 1990 to 1993. There are now affiliated centers in 44 states and the District of Columbia."
The Hawaii Center will be hosted by the Hawaii State Library in Honolulu. State Librarian Virginia Lowell is the executive director, and Caroline Spencer, director of public libraries branches, will serve as the statewide coordinator. The staff of the Hawaii State Library will provide support for the new center, which will focus on "promoting and encouraging reading and an appreciation of books," as well as celebrating Hawaii's rich cultural, ethnic and literary heritage. Initial planning meetings for the center, held in June and August, brought together educators, historians, librarians, scholars, book sellers, publishers, authors, print makers, friends of libraries groups and literacy providers. Each group will be part of the new center, which will support its projects through private sector funding. Two of the Hawaii Center for the Book's first projects will be establishing an appropriate statewide book award and the development of a Hawaii Center for the Book Web site that will include a calendar of book, library and reading events throughout Hawaii.
For information about the Hawaii Center for the Book, contact Caroline Spencer, coordinator, Hawaii Center for the Book, Hawaii State Library, 465 S. King St., Honolulu, Hawaii 96813, telephone (808) 586-3553, e-mail: car@lib.state.hi.us.
Left, Hawaii State Librarian Virginia Lowell; right, Renee Swartz, coordinator of the New Jersey Center for the Book
The New Jersey Center for the Book will be hosted by the School of Communication, Information and Library Studies at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, in New Brunswick. Gustav W. Friedrich, dean of the school, is a member of the founding advisory board. The coordinator is Renee B. Swartz, a New Jersey library advocate with wide experience throughout the state. Members of the advisory board include representatives from the New Jersey State Library, the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame, the New Jersey Historical Association and other libraries and organizations throughout the state.
The New Jersey Center for the Book's mission is "to celebrate books, reading, libraries and the diverse literary heritage of New Jersey." The creation of a Web site and the development of a literary map of New Jersey will be among the new center's first projects.
For information about the New Jersey Center for the Book, contact Renee B. Swartz, coordinator, New Jersey Center for the Book, telephone (732) 842-3046, fax (732) 842-5475, e-mail: rswartz@shore.co.monmouth.nj.us.
Viburnum/Center for Book Family Literacy Project Expands
Molly Turner, executive director of the Viburnum Foundation and the founder of the Viburnum Family Literacy project, participated in the Aug. 22-24 workshop in Montgomery, Ala.
Now in its fourth year, the Viburnum Foundation/Center for the Book Family Literacy Project promotes the planning, training and promotion of family literacy among rural public libraries and their community partners. Funded by the Viburnum Foundation with $3,000 grants to small public libraries in rural communities, the project is administered by the Center for the Book, which also organizes and conducts two regional training workshops each year for library grantees and their partners. Center for the Book consultant Virginia H. Mathews, a nationally known literacy and library advocate, is project coordinator and workshop director. She is assisted by two Center for the Book staff members: Anne Boni, program specialist, and Patricia White, executive assistant.
Forty-five small public libraries in 10 states received grants in 2001. "Thanks to the generosity of the Viburnum Foundation, this year our joint endeavor has expanded to include literacy projects in three new states—Arizona, Arkansas, South Carolina—and grants to an all-time high of 45 small public libraries," said Center for the Book Director John Y. Cole.
The training workshops, held this year in Montgomery, Ala. (Aug. 22-24), and Albuquerque, N.M. (Sept. 12-14), introduced participants to family literacy practices and techniques, but emphasized partnership possibilities and local resources. "What we're really about is community development," said Ms. Mathews. "This year we focused on how the grantee libraries could cooperate with local chapters of national associations such as Boys and Girls Clubs of America and the YMCA—which furnished speakers for both workshops. We train librarians how to partner with community groups and we educate high-level state officials about the importance of libraries, literacy and reading." Other workshop speakers came from health care, juvenile justice, youth services, child care, public television, early childhood and mental health organizations.
Tina Nolen (above, from left) of the Ashland (Ala.) Public Library, project coordinator and workshop director Virginia Mathews, first lady of Alabama Lori Siegelman (who hosted a reception for the Alabama workshop) and Annie Lucas Brown, consultant for the Alabama Public Library Service.
More than 90 people from five states participated in the Montgomery workshop, which included a reception hosted by Alabama first lady Lori Siegelman. Annie Lucas Brown, consultant for the Alabama Public Library Service (APLS), helped organize the program, and APLS Director Lamar Veatch was a participant. Support was provided by the Alabama Center for the Book, which is located at the Center for the Arts and Humanities at Auburn University. Allen Cronenberg and Jay Lamar represented the center.
Molly Kinney, consultant for the Georgia Office of Public Library Services lets her voice be heard.
In spite of the tragedy on Sept. 11, Virginia Mathews proceeded with the Albuquerque workshop, assisted by Marsie Cate, coordinator of the New Mexico Center for the Book, and Oklahoma Center for the Book coordinator Glenda Carlile. More than 40 people from five states participated, including New Mexico State Librarian Ben Wakashige. Program highlights included an evening program of professional storytelling and a keynote address by Bob Pasternack, former state director of education in New Mexico and now assistant secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services in the U.S. Dept. of Education.
Libraries that received Viburnum grants in 2001 and participated in
the 2001 workshops are listed below.
Alabama. Ashland City Public Library; B.B. Comer Memorial Library, Sylacauga; Collinsville Public Library; Lewis Cooper Jr. Public Library, Opelika; Pell City Public Library; Huntsville-Madison County Public Library; Blue Spring Branch, Huntsville; Ozark-Dale County Public Library, Ozark.
Arizona. Cooper Queen Library, Bisbee; Mohave County Library District, Kingman; Friends of the Tucson-Pima Public Library, Tucson.
Arkansas. Arkansas River Valley Regional Library, Dardanelle; Crawford County Public Library System, Van Buren; Jim G. Ferguson Searcy County Library, Marshall; Philips County Library, Helena.
Georgia. CEL Regional Library, Midway/Riceboro Branch, Savannah; Clayton County Library System, Jonesboro; East Central Georgia Regional Library, Augusta; Hall County Library System, Gainesville; Peach Public Libraries, Fort Valley; Ohoopee Regional Library System, Vidalia; West Georgia Regional Library, Carrollton.
Louisiana. Washington Parish Library, Franklinton; West Baton Rouge Parish Library, Port Allen.
Mississippi. Columbus-Lowndes Public Library, Columbus; Elizabeth Jones Library, Grenada; Central Mississippi Regional Library System (Raleigh Library), Brandon; Waveland Library Literacy Center, Waveland.
New Mexico. Belen Public Library; David Cargo Public Library, Mora; Glenwood Community Library; Moise Memorial Library, Santa Rosa; Moriarty Community Library; Silver City Public Library.
Oklahoma. Bartlett-Carnegie Sapulpa Public Library, Sapulpa; Metropolitan Public Library System, Choctaw.
South Carolina. Abbeville-Greenwood Regional Library, Greenwood; Berkeley County Library, Moncks Corner; Colleton County Memorial Library, Walterboro; Georgetown County Library System, Georgetown; Sumter County Library, Sumter; York County Library, Rock Hill.
Texas. Crowley Public Library; Duval County/San Diego Public Library, San Diego; Eden Public Library; Longview Public Library.
