State Library of Louisiana

 

JUST LISTEN TO YOURSELF!
A Dozen Poets for ‘12

In celebration of National Poetry Month and building upon last year’s successful event, the State Library of Louisiana’s Center for the Book announces its second annual program “Just Listen to Yourself: The Louisiana Poet Laureate Presents Louisiana Poets - 2012.”  The event, moderated by Julie Kane, Louisiana Poet Laureate, will be held Wednesday, April 11, 2012, Noon – 1:30 PM, in the Seminar Center of the State Library, 701 North Fourth Street, Baton Rouge.

The poets invited by Kane to join her in reading a selection from their work include Darrell Bourque, Kelly Clayton, Ashley Mace Havird, David Havird, Ava Leavell Haymon, Clemonce Heard, Charles Jolivette, David Middleton, Alison Pelegrin, Michelle Pichon, and Gail White.

The lunchtime program is free and open to the public. Attendees may bring their lunch and come and go as their schedules allow. The State Library of Louisiana is wheelchair accessible.

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PRESENTING POETS

Darrell Bourque lives in a bamboo grove in rural St. Landry Parish. A former Louisiana Poet Laureate, university professor, and administrator, he is now a full-time poet with a new book on the way. Megan’s Guitar and Other Poems from Acadie is forthcoming in 2013 from the University of Louisiana Press.

Kelly Clayton is a Louisiana Creole with deep roots in New Orleans, New Roads, Baton Rouge, and Plaquemine. Louisiana’s people, music, and spirit are her muse. Her work has appeared in Future Cycle Poetry, Gloom Cupboard, and The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature. Delacourt Press commissioned a poem as a chapter lead for Do Gentlemen Really Prefer Blondes? by Jena Pincott.

Ashley Mace Havird lives in Shreveport. Her chapbook The Dirt Eaters was published by the South Carolina Poetry Initiative in 2009, and her poems have appeared in journals including The Southern Review, Shenandoah, and The Virginia Quarterly Review. In 2002 she was awarded a Louisiana Division of the Arts Fellowship.

David Havird is a Professor of English at Centenary College in Shreveport. He is the author of Penelope’s Design (2010), which won the 2009 Robert Phillips Poetry Chapbook Prize; and his poems have appeared in Agni, The New Yorker, Poetry, The Sewanee Review, Shenandoah, Southwest Review, and The Yale Review.

Ava Leavell Haymon teaches poetry writing in Baton Rouge and directs a writers’ retreat center in New Mexico. Her most recent book is Why the House Is Made of Gingerbread, from LSU Press. She holds the 2003 Louisiana Literature Prize, the 2010 L. E. Phillabaum Award, and the 2010 Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Award.

Clemonce Heard is a 23-year-old native of New Orleans who is majoring in Graphic Design and minoring in Culinary Arts at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches. He is the founder and President of NSU’s Brainy Acts Poetry Society, a student organization that puts on poetry slams.

Charles Jolivette grew up in San Francisco with deep Louisiana Creole roots. Following a 13-year career as the recording artist Rap4rights, he wrote two novels, Etouffé and Le Midnight Roux. He will release a poetry collection, While the Gumbo Cools, this year.

Julie Kane, the current Louisiana Poet Laureate, lives in Natchitoches and teaches at Northwestern State University. Her last two books are Jazz Funeral (2009), which won the Donald Justice Poetry Prize, and Rhythm & Booze (2003), which won the National Poetry Series. Garrison Keillor has read two of her poems on The Writer’s Almanac.

David Middleton is Professor Emeritus of English at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux. His holds the 2006 Allen Tate Award from The Sewanee Review and the 2006 Louisiana Governor’s Award for Outstanding Professional Artist. The Fiddler of Driskoll Hill: Poems of Louisiana North and South is forthcoming from LSU Press in 2013.

Alison Pelegrin teaches at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond. Her two most recent poetry collections are Hurricane Party (2011) and Big Muddy River of Stars (2011), both from the University of Akron Press. The recipient of an NEA Fellowship in creative writing, she has published poems in Poetry, Ploughshares, and Image.

Michelle Pichon lives in the Cane River community of Isle Brevelle. Her family, with ties to both Cane River and Slidell, is of Creole heritage and has been part of Louisiana since Louisiana’s existence. She strives to give a modern voice to a culture so rich in history.

Gail White writes her poems on the banks of Bayou Teche in Breaux Bridge. She has edited three anthologies and published three books of poetry, the latest being The Accidental Cynic (2009), a winner of the Anita Dorn Memorial Award. Her new chapbook is Sonnets in a Hostile World.

– www.LouisianaTravel.com –

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 21, 2012

Contact:

Paulita Chartier
State Library of Louisiana
225.342.9713
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Jacques Berry
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
225.342.8607
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CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH
FREDDI WILLIAMS EVANS AND CONGO SQUARE: AFRICAN ROOTS IN NEW ORLEANS

Tuesday, Feb. 7, noon
State Library of Louisiana
Seminar Center, 1st Floor
701 N. Fourth St.
Baton Rouge, LA

In celebration of Black History Month, the Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana is announcing a special event. Author, researcher, scholar and educator Freddi Williams Evans is presenting her book Congo Square: African Roots in New Orleans on Tuesday, Feb.7, from noon to 12:45 p.m., in the Seminar Center of the State Library of Louisiana. A book signing will follow, with copies of the book available for purchase.

The State Library strives to promote literature and an appreciation for literature. This state is fortunate in its wealth of a truly rich, unique culture that is in turn spun into stories by legendary storytellers. The LCB finds and brings these talented artists to our stage, where they tell our stories, no matter the medium of the message. Through the Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana, citizens from all walks of life are able to immerse themselves in the consistently fine literary programming offered, free of charge, to those who care to share the bounty.

Through her book, Congo Square: African Roots in New Orleans, Evans will share the story of historic Congo Square through archival materials including audio and video clips, photographs, sketches, maps and musical instruments. The author will also highlight connections among cultural practices witnessed in Congo Square and those found in parts of Africa, Haiti and Cuba as well as Congo Square's influence on the indigenous culture of New Orleans.

The presentation is free and open to the public and registration is not required. With this program planned as a lunchtime event, attendees are welcomed to bring a brown bag lunch.

 

– www.crt.la.gov –

 

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Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne is announcing that the State Library of Louisiana and LOUIS, the Louisiana Library Network, have signed an agreement to partner with Credo Reference to provide reference and research assistance statewide.

The agreement ensures that students, faculty, researchers and patrons at all Louisiana academic, public and K – 12 libraries will have access to hundreds of highly-regarded reference titles that compose Credo General Reference. The agreement also includes more than 10,000 Credo topic pages that will be customized to encourage discovery and exploration by students and faculty.

“One of the goals of the State Library is to partner with other state agencies to combine purchasing and save taxpayer dollars.” Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne said. “Our statewide purchase of educational databases for public libraries already provides a 13-to-1 cost savings for taxpayers. Therefore this new agreement falls in line with our mission and allows us to do more with less.”

Credo Reference offers completely customizable, “best-in-class” reference collections for libraries. With its unique cross-referencing technology, Credo’s General Reference service effortlessly delivers authoritative answers to millions of researchers worldwide.

“As part of its mission, the State Library provides services to all public libraries in Louisiana equally. In a tough economy, this agreement will help us provide rich content to every resident in the state at no cost.” State Librarian Rebecca Hamilton said. “In addition, the agreement allows access to Credo from K-12 libraries that would otherwise not have these reference resources. “

For more information about available reference resources, visit www.state.lib.la.us/.

– www.crt.la.gov –

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The State Library of Louisiana is partnering with the Collaborative Summer Library Program to launch the 2012 Louisiana Teen Video Challenge, the state qualifier for a national competition that encourages teens to get involved with reading and their public libraries’ summer reading program. The contest is an opportunity for teens to showcase their creativity and have their ideas heard before a national audience

To enter, contestants must create 30-to-90-second videos with their unique interpretation of the 2012 summer reading slogan “Own the Night” in the context of reading and libraries. The program’s goal is to involve teens in the process so they are more aware of reading throughout the year.

Creators of the winning state video will be awarded $275 and their associated public library will receive prizes worth $150. All prizes are provided by the CSLP. The winning video from each state or territory will be named as one of the CSLP 2012 Teen Videos, promoting summer reading nationwide. Winners will be announced in spring 2012.

The CSLP is a grassroots consortium of 50 states, Washington D.C., American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands working together to provide children, teens and families with a summer reading program and promotional materials for public libraries.

For full details about the contest, visit www.state.lib.la.us and search for 2012 Video Challenge. To view the 2011 winning videos visit, http://www.cslpreads.org/winners.html.

– www.crt.la.gov –

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 7, 2011

Contact:
Paulita Chartier
State Library of Louisiana
225.342.9713   
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Jacques Berry
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
225.342.8607
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The Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana, in partnership with the Louisiana Writing Project, proudly announces its third consecutive year as state sponsor of Letters About Literature, a national reading-writing contest for students.

The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, in partnership with Target Corporation and affiliate state centers for the book, annually invites readers in grades four through 12 to enter the Letters About Literature competition.

With the involvement of teachers, librarians, parents, the Louisiana Writing Project, and most importantly the participating students themselves, last year’s sponsorship of Letters About Literature by the Louisiana Center for the Book resulted in an amazing 1,097 entries, up from 42 entries in 2008 before the Center was a sponsor..

“We are so pleased with the increase in student participation in Letters About Literature since the Louisiana Center for the Book became a sponsor two years ago,” said State Librarian Rebecca Hamilton. “This particular program is an exceptional way for us to encourage our youth to read; and because participation in the contest requires reflective reading, the contest emphasizes the personal rewards to be gained from the reading experience.”

To enter, the student reader writes a personal letter to an author, living or dead, from any genre--fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, contemporary or classic--explaining how that author's work, whether book, short story, poem, essay, or speech, changed the reader's way of thinking about the world or themselves. The submission, in the form of a personal letter rather than a book report or fan letter, should express how the chosen book has impacted the reader’s life or worldview.

There are three competition levels: Level I for students in grades 4-6, Level II for grades 7-8 and Level III, grades 9-12. Entrants must be 9 years of age or older as of 9/1/11.  Grade levels refer to the 2011-12 school year.

The Letters About Literature contest is now open, and submissions must be sent directly to the national Letters About Literature address (Guidelines Individual 2012.pdf), postmarked by Friday, Jan. 6, 2012, and received by LAL Central no later than Tuesday, January 17, 2012.  Submissions inappropriately sent to the Louisiana Center for the Book will not be forwarded or returned.  See Official Rules for detailed information, national mailing address, and required entry coupon to be attached to each entry. Further information and detailed guidelines for Letters About Literature and the required downloadable entry coupon may be found at www.lettersaboutliterature.org (How to Enter).  Teachers and Librarians: see the specific attached instructions or website instructions regarding group submissions.  Individuals: Home schooled students and other individuals entering on their own are encouraged to also participate using the individual form, attached and available on the website.

LAL Central, the national Letters About Literature team, will choose the top 30-50 entries in each competition level from each state.  From these, a panel of Louisiana judges, primarily composed of Louisiana language arts teachers and librarians chosen in partnership with the Louisiana Writing Project, will choose a first, second, and third place winner for each grade level on or about March 15, to be announced as soon as possible thereafter.  State honorable mentions may be awarded at the sole discretion of the state judges.  The letters by the state first-place winners for each competition level are sent back to LAL Central where they are then in the running for the national awards.

State first-place winners will each receive a $50 Target GiftCard through the national organization.  Additionally, in Louisiana for the 2012 contest, winners in each competition level will receive $100 for first place, $75 for second place, and $50 for third place, made possible by a grant from Target Corporation.

National winners, announced in late April, receive additional prizes and earn for their community or school or library LAL Reading Promotion Grants valued at thousands of dollars.  For the upcoming 2012 contest, six National Winners will each receive a $500 Target GiftCard and will secure a $10,000 LAL Reading Promotion Grant in his/her name for a community or school library.  Twelve National Honorable Mention Winners will receive a $100 Target GiftCard and also secure for a school or community library a $1,000 LAL Reading Promotion Grant in his/her name.

Louisiana language arts teachers, school librarians, public children’s and YA librarians, and home school parents/instructors are encouraged to visit the Letters About Literature website for more information and lessons plans, and to incorporate the Letters About Literature into their curriculum and programming to facilitate Louisiana youth’s participation in and representation of our state in this rewarding reading and writing activity.

Lesson Plans: The Library of Congress provides free teaching materials, including lesson plans, writing samples, assessment checklists, and teacher tips--all downloadable through its website, www.lettersaboutliterature.org .

LAL focuses on reader response and reflective writing and supports educational standards established for reading and language arts as recommended by the International Reading Association and the National Council for the Teaching of English.

– www.crt.la.gov –

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 1, 2011

Contact:
Paulita Chartier
State Library of Louisiana
225.342.9713   
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Jacques Berry
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
225.342.8607
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The Louisiana Book Festival is returning to downtown Baton Rouge on Saturday, Oct. 29, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Festival-goers of all ages will celebrate books with more than 225 authors and panelists who are presenting and discussing their latest works. The festival is free and open to the public and takes place at the State Library of Louisiana, the Louisiana State Museum, the Louisiana State Capitol and its grounds.

More than 75 book-related organizations will have booths in the gardens between the State Capitol and the State Library. Throughout the day, visitors can enjoy exhibitions, demonstrations and performances. Visitors will also get a chance to buy books penned by the festival’s authors and have them sign their works at the Barnes & Noble bookselling and signing tent.

In 2009, the Louisiana Book Festival had more than 25,500 visitors, injecting nearly $2 million into the local economy. The festival was not held in 2010 due to state budget cuts. Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne, whose office oversees the State Library, has championed the Louisiana Book Festival’s return for 2011.

“The day I was inaugurated as Lieutenant Governor, I vowed to bring the Book Festival back,” Lt. Governor Dardenne said. “We knew that we had strong support and through the generosity of a private donor and other sponsors, we have done just that.”

While many of the programs are geared toward adult and young adult readers, the Young Readers Pavilion is a special area for children with performances by storytellers, as well as a wide assortment of crafts and activities. A cooking demonstration tent is featuring cookbook authors and chefs including John Folse and Rick Tramonto. Also, throughout the day, Louisiana musicians such as the Preservation Hall Trio and Chris Leblanc Band will perform.

“The Louisiana Book Festival has become a treasured Louisiana event that underscores the best of Louisiana’s rich culture,” State Librarian Rebecca Hamilton said. “This event helps us build Louisiana’s culture of literacy.”

The festival kicks off with Edwin Edwards and his biographer Leo Honeycutt discussing Edwin Edwards, Governor of Louisiana and the presentation of the 2011 Louisiana Writer Award to acclaimed author James Wilcox.

The Louisiana Book Festival is co-sponsored by the Louisiana Library and Book Festival Foundation; the State Library of Louisiana; the Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism; Office of Lt. Governor and the Louisiana Library Foundation. It is funded through federal and state grants as well as private sponsors such as the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities and Barnes & Noble.

Information about attending or being a volunteer at the 2011 Book Festival is available at http://www.LouisianaBookFestival.org or by calling 225.219.9503.

– www.crt.la.gov –

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 19, 2011

Contact:
Paulita Chartier
State Library of Louisiana
225.342.9713   
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Jacques Berry
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
225.342.8607
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The Louisiana Book Festival is back! Louisiana’s world-class celebration of readers, writers and their books is returning to downtown Baton Rouge from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29. Join in the fun and experience the Louisiana Book Festival from within by volunteering.

The eighth annual event is featuring more than 225 authors and panelists discussing their books; the Young Readers Pavilion, where children and parents will enjoy storytelling performances, face painting and other activities; and a wide variety of book-related activities, demonstrations, exhibitions and performances.

Volunteers are essential to the festival’s success. Whether it is escorting the festival’s authors, serving as room monitors in the Capitol during panel discussions and author workshops or working with children in the Young Readers Pavilion, your help is needed. If you are interested in volunteering and would like more information about the festival as well as volunteer opportunities, visit www.louisianabookfestival.org/Volunteers.html.

The Louisiana Book Festival is co-sponsored by the Louisiana Center for the Book; the State Library of Louisiana; the Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism; Office of Lt. Governor and the Louisiana Library and Book Festival Foundation. Complete information on the 2011 Book Festival is available at www.LouisianaBookFestival.org or by calling 225.219.9503.

– www.crt.la.gov –

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 11, 2011

Contact:
Paulita Chartier
State Library of Louisiana
225.342.9713   
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Jacques Berry
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
225.342.8607
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The 2011 Louisiana Book Festival is continuing the tradition of the One Book, One Festival discussion. Festival-goers can participate in the discussion by reading Of Love and Dust by Louisiana author Ernest Gaines before the Oct. 29 festival. Because some critics, as well as festival organizers, believe Of Love and Dust to be arguably the best Southern movie never made, the Book Festival will feature a hypothetical “casting discussion.” Scholar and writer Reggie Scott Young will ask participants to be casting directors for a film version of the book at 4 p.m. at the state capitol. Participating readers can prepare for the festival discussion by imagining the actors from today or the past whom they would select to play the roles of Marcus, Jim Kelly, Bonbon, Tite, Pauline and the other characters who appear in the story.

For more information about the Louisiana Book Festival, visit www.LouisianaBookFestival.org, call 225.219.9503 and like the Festival on Facebook.

– www.crt.la.gov –

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 20, 2011

Contact:
Paulita Chartier
State Library of Louisiana
225.342.9713   
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Jacques Berry
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
225.342.8607
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it