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Spring 2005 No The *~" c Vo lu me 15 Spring 2005 No. I A Publication of the Nebraska Center for the Book Poet Laureate Ted Kooser Awarded Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Board awarded Ted Kooser's Delights BilJjngton said. "His verse reaches beyond his native and Shadows the 2005 Pulitzer Pri ze for poetry region to touch on universal themes in accessible (Review on page 7). The award recogni zes a distin ­ ways." guished volume of ori ginal verse by an American Ted is a long-time leader in Nebraska literary author and is accompanjed by a prize of $10,000. effo11s and one of the Nebraska Center for the Book's Ted Kooser, of rural Garland , is one of Nebraska's earliest suppo11ers. In 1982, he served as founding most highly regarded poets and the country's current president of the Nebraska Literary He1itage Associa­ Poet Laureate. Kooser has been writing and tion ai1d he received the Mari Sai1doz Award for publi shing poetry fo r more than fo 11y years. "Ted signjficai1t, enduring contribution to the Nebraska Kooser is a major poeti c voice fo r rural ~md small­ book wo rld from the Nebraska Libraiy Association town America ai1d the fi rst poet laureate chosen from in 2000. the Great Plai ns," Librarian of Congress Jan1es H. For more info rmati on on the Pulitzer Prize see <www. PulitzPr org"> . A llebraska Wesleyan Hosts 2005 Book Festival by Sbelly Clark, 2005 Nebraska Book Festival-a year for fi rsts! But you ca.11 coun t on thi s: we are in good hands. Nebraska Center fo r Nebraska Wesleyai1 University (NWU) is the site for Jim Schaffer, NWU Engli sh Depa11ment chair, is the Book President the <Umual Book Festival to be held October 8, 2005. servi ng as the festival director ai1d has recru ited staff Not only is this the first time for the festival to be held from NWU to join the plaim ing committee. They are on the l\rwlJ can1pus, but it is the first time currently developing the festival activities ai1d prograin the U.S. Poet Laureate will headline the in collaboration with committee members from festival as featured speaker. It's no secret Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Library that we are bursting with pride that "our" Commission , Nebraska Hurmmities Council, University poet, Ted Kooser, has agreed to participate of NebnLska Press, <Uld members at large. It is a in the festival and will bring <Ul added dynamjc group ~md good things are going to happen dimension to our prograi11 , along with many at the 2005 Nebraska Book Festival, so mark your other talented a11ists ai1d exciting activities. calendars for October 8. For more information Further program developments will be featured in the contact Jim Schaffer, 402 -423-6224, e-mail: Summer NCB Neil's <Uld on the Nebraska Center for <[email protected] > .. the Book Web site, <www.unl.edu/NCB/>. llebraska Center for the Book Membership Doubles1 by Mary Jo Ry an, Wouldn 't it be great if we could use this headline membership form on page 3 of this newsletter to join ebraska Llbraiy for a sto1y about tl1e groundswell of support fo r the the Nebraska Center for the Book or to renew your Commission ebraska Center for the Book? Since 1990, th is coali­ membership. lf you send your check today, your tion of org<mizations and individuals has wo rked to membership fees will help support the upcoming support Nebraska books and writing. We need yo ur 2005 Nebraska Book Festival. Thai1k you , in advance. help to continue this fine tradition . Pl e<L'ie use the .. Excitin9 Times Ahead for the Center for the Book Guest Editorial What an exciting time to be the "captain of the in part, is why I feel so profoundly the need to do what by Shelly Clark, ship. " It is such an honor to se1ve as ebraska Center I cru1 to foster <md promote this prognun. You cannot ebraska Center for for the Book (NCB) President in what I think will measure the kind of impact this can have on your life the Book President prove to be an exciting ;md pivotal year for this org<mi­ ru1d the li ves of others. You Gm only give testimony. zation. I am so ple<L'>ed that ebraska Wesleyan Univer­ Meanwhile, other impo1tant programs fostered bv sity will be the site fo r the Nebraska Book Festival on NCB continue to se1ve the literary community. The · October 8 and that Ted Kooser, U.S. Poet Laureate, will ebraska Book Awards program, now in its sixth year, be the featured speaker. continues to recognize ru1d honor books written by ln addition to the work of the festival, NC B board Nebraska authors, published by Nebraska publishers, members and members of pa1tner organizations such set in eb raska, or relating to Nebraska. Award cate­ <L'> Nebraska Library Comrnission and Nebr<L'ika gories include fiction , non-fiction, poet1y, anthology, Hunm1ities Counci l are working on other vital children/young adults, ru1d design/illustration. NCB is programs. In Janua1y, the newly-formed penmment cu rrently soliciting entries, so please encourage book festival committee began meeting to work on authors and publishers to enter (see page 4 for long-nmge plruming for future festival s. Bringing details). The honorees will be recognized at the Book together this committee has been a goal for the pa<;t Festival in October. Also , this year's recipient of the few years. It is our belief that this is <m integral step in Mildred Bennett award will be given honors at the strengthen ing the Book Festival and taking it "into the festival. Letters about Literature is ru10ther successful future. " progrrun that had ru1 exceptional year in 2004 with a lf the chance arises, l shrunelessly ''brag" that I national award wi nner, Jackson Fisher, representing have attended all the ebraska Book Festivals. I have Neb raska. This national program continues as a NCB driven across the state to Chadron, Wayne, Peru , project. Congratulations, Jackson, and all the 2005 Lincoln , Kearn ey, Grru1d Island, and Omalrn. On winners! (See page 3 for detai ls on 2005 wi nners.) several occa<;ions, students accompanied me (at times In May 2004, I traveled to Washington D.C. to the having raised field trip money selling cake raffle tickets Libra1y of Congress where I met with Center for the at high school ba'iketbalJ grunes ;md through other Book representatives from across the nation and with money-ma.king schemes.) I treasure a photograph I John Cole, Director of the National Center for the Book have of five of my students gathered around Tillie ru1d his staff. Before this trip, I always thought of the Olson, all grinning widely (including Tillie) , their arms 1ebraska Center for the Book as a "local" orgru1ization intertwined, havi ng spent the afternoon at the Univer­ promoting literature ru1d books in our state through sity of ebraska at Omalrn talking books ru1d other prognuns £U1d events. Suddenly, I realized that we are a things. She called them ''her girls" by the end of the prut of something much larger. And with all the day. turmoil and uneasiness that seemed to be swi rling I have also had the privil ege of working with some around us that day in Washington D.C., I remember of the finest individuals you cru1 imagine as I served on thinking, thank goodness for this reposito1y, for this various festival committees through the years. My life, tradition of promoting and prese1ving "the wo rd." my students' lives, ru1d my daughters' li ves have been How refreshing ... and how ve1y, ve1y im port;mt. .6. truly enriched by the people brought together ;md the events sponsored by the Nebra'ika Book Festival. That, The llCBNews Vol. I S • Spring 2005 • No. I Nebraska C e nter for the Book Publications/Publicity is $ 125 for 1/8 page. NCB News is issued Board and Committees Linda Trout, Committee Chai r ; David May I , August 15, mid November I . The Bristow; Jem1eua Drueke; Ma1y Jo Ry:ui, staff advertising and copy deadline is six weeks Executive Committee Awards Art Coordinator prior to issue date. For details, contact Ma1y Shelly Clark, President; Chuck Peek, Past Denise Brady Jo Ryan, Ne br:L~ka Center for the Book, The President; Mel Krutz, Vice President/ Atrium, 1200 N Street, Suite 120, Lin coln, Tbis publication was President Elect; Jen y Krom berg, Treasurer; Ne br:L~ka Library Com mission Director Rod NE 68508-2023; phone 402-47 1-3434, 800- supported in part by tbe Rod Wagner, ex-officio Wagner is an ex:officio member of all .)07-2665, e-mail: < [email protected]:ue. Institute ofMuseu 111 comminees. ne.us>, < www.unl. edu/NCB> . and libra1y Seroices Funding/Membership under /be provisio11s of Committee Chai r ; Joan Birnie; Jeny 2005 Nebraska Center for the Tbe NCB Neu•s is published three times a tbe Library Seroices and Kromberg, Treasurer; Jm1e Smith; Molly Book Board Meetings year by the Nebraska Center for the Book, Tecbnology Act as Fisher (ex-officio) May 7 ......... Lincoln, Nebraska The Atrium, 1200 N Street, Suite 120, Lincoln , NE 68508-2023. Subscription is administered by Ibe 2005 Nebr-..iska Book Festival Weslevmi University state ofNe braska free with membership. Editor: Linda Trout. Shellv Clark, President, Co mmiuee Chair; J. August 6 ........ Centr:iI City · tbrougb tbe Nebraska Design and Production: Valerie Crook. V. Brl1mmels; Nm1cy Johnson; Marge Saiser; November 6 ..... Lincoln, Annual Meeting library Commissio11.
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