State Library of Louisiana

Videos of National Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith’s “American Conversations” event at the Jean Lafitte Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center in Thibodaux, including interviews with her and attendees and Tracy’s reading, as well as the complete program, are now available on our You Tube channel.

TV segment with reading and interviews - https://youtu.be/nyqSYQbb_M4

Full Tracy K. Smith program - https://youtu.be/cWGa8khUaQM

The Library of Congress Center for the Book page featuring the Louisiana trip, the final leg of Tracy’s fall tour, with photos, interviews, and related links - including a post by Guy Lamolinara on LOC’s Poetry and Literature Center’s blog - may be found at http://www.read.gov/americanconversations/louisiana/index.html

Thanks to Director Laura Sanders and staff of Lafourche Parish Public Library and to the National Park Service for making it possible to meet Tracy’s request to go “down on the bayou” for the public programs.  We also thank Bette Billiot and the United Houma Nation for Tracy’s private meeting with them.  Thanks also to the Library of Congress’s Anya Creightney and Guy Lamolinara who accompanied Tracy on her Louisiana journey and brought with them the free copies of American Journal: Fifty Poems for Our Time given to attendees and donated to each Louisiana parish library system. And, of course, thanks to Tracy K. Smith for selecting Louisiana as a destination.

BATON ROUGE, La.– The Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana announces the annual Letters About Literature contest, a Library of Congress national reading and writing competition for students in grades 4-12 and coordinated in state by the Louisiana Center. To enter the contest, a student writes a personal letter to an author, living or deceased, explaining how the author’s book, poem, play, or speech changed the student’s view of the world or self.

“Letters About Literature is just one of many programs offered through the State Library of Louisiana that help promote and encourage literacy in our young people,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. “I hope teachers, school and public librarians, and homeschool parents across the state take advantage of this opportunity for their students to polish their reflective writing skills all while having the chance to win cash prizes and receive national recognition!”

Students may enter online at www.read.gov/letters through their school or local libraries, or on their own, in one of three competition levels: Level 1 for grades 4-6, Level 2 for grades 7-8, or Level 3 for grades 9-12.

“Literature has an amazing power to both inspire and to heal, and none so much as the books we read as young people,” said State Librarian Rebecca Hamilton. “I’ll never forget how books such as Matilda, Charlotte’s Web, and The Chronicles of Narnia inspired my life-long love of reading. The Letters About Literature contest offers a meaningful opportunity for students at a variety of grade levels to reflect on the way reading has affected their lives.”

The national Letters About Literature team selects finalists for Louisiana in each competition level; then, our state winners are chosen by a panel of judges including teachers and librarians from throughout the state. Our Louisiana winners receive $100 for first place, $75 for second place, and $50 for third place. The winners are honored at the Louisiana Book Festival. First place winning letters are submitted to the Library of Congress for the national competition with the chance of winning up to $1,000.

Letters must be submitted directly to the Library of Congress by January 11, 2019. Official rules, a call for student letters, and a helpful video series guide for participating may be found at www.read.gov/letters, as well as teacher resources with lesson plans and instructions for submitting letters as a group.

The 2018-2019 Letters About Literature contest is made possible through a grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, with additional support from gifts to the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, which promotes the contest through its affiliate Centers for the Book, state libraries, and other organizations.

In Louisiana, the contest is made possible by the Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana with the assistance of the Louisiana Writing Project and the Louisiana Library and Book Festival Foundation. Funding for prizes is provided by a Library of Congress grant.

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Contact:
Rebecca Hamilton
State Library of Louisiana
225.342.4923
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Julio Guichard/Bill Sherman
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
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BATON ROUGE, La.– Entering its 19th year, the Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice (LYRC) Awards Program is excited to announce the 2019-2020 nominated title lists for grades 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Every year tens of thousands of students from elementary to high school age vote on their favorite book from a list of titles curated by librarians serving on LYRC committees from across the state. Many students cast their ballot on real voting machines supplied by the Secretary of State’s Voter Outreach Division.

 “The Louisiana Readers’ Choice Awards is just one of many phenomenal programs offered through the State Library which inspires a love of reading among the young people of our state,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, adding “the value of literacy and programs that encourage an interest in books cannot be overstated.”

 The 2019-2020 nominated title list includes award winning authors such as Newbery Medal recipient Katherine Applegate; Newbery Honor Award, Coretta Scott King Award, and Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction recipient Rita Williams-Garcia;William C. Morris Award winner Jeff Zentner; recipient of the John Newbery Medal, Edgar Award for Best Young Adult, Michael L. Printz Award, and a National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature, Jason Reynolds; Jane Addams Children's Book Awards for Book for Older Children nominee,Mitali Perkins; and winner of the 2017-2018 Louisiana Young Reader’s Choice award for grades 6-8, Svetlana Chmakova, to only name a few. From fiction to nonfiction, picture books to novels, science fiction to romance, historical to contemporary, these carefully chosen booklists cover a variety of interests and genres, so there is something for every reader.

 “The titles on these lists are selected by professional school and public librarians from across the state with decades of experience working with children and children’s literature,” said State Librarian Rebecca Hamilton. “The nominated titles represent a variety of interests and viewpoints, but what unites the titles is that they are high interest: these are books that kids will love and which will inspire them to keep reading, which is a key part of our mission here at the State Library.”

 The Louisiana Readers’ Choice is a reading enrichment program of the Louisiana Center for the Book, housed in the State Library of Louisiana. Its mission is to foster a love of reading in the children of Louisiana by motivating them to participate in the recognition of outstanding books. According to a 2017 Kids Count report, only 56% of Louisiana’s fourth graders are reading above the basic level, and even fewer reading at a proficient level. Louisiana is tied for third highest in the country in the number of teens not in school and not high school graduates. This is 25% higher than the national average. The Louisiana Center for the Book and the State Library of Louisiana believe fostering a lifelong love of reading among Louisianans will contribute to the state’s overall economic growth and quality of life.

 For information about the program including previous winners, how to participate and additional resources such as free bookmarks, posters, and study guides, please visit the Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Program webpage.

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Contact:
Rebecca Hamilton
State Library of Louisiana
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Julio Guichard/Bill Sherman
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
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Smith brings “American Conversations: Celebrating Poems in Rural Communities” to the Pelican State

BATON ROUGE, La.– The Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana is pleased to announce that United States Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith will visit Louisiana December 14-15 as the fourth and final state included in her fall tour, “American Conversations: Celebrating Poems in Rural Communities.” Smith’s first event will be held on Friday evening, December 14, at the Jean Lafitte Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center in Thibodaux with a one-hour reception beginning at 6 p.m. and the program to immediately following at 7 p.m. Her final event will be held on Saturday, December 15, from 10-11 a.m. at the South Lafourche Branch Library in Cut Off. The events are free and open to the public.

“We are honored that U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith has selected Louisiana as one of the stops across the United States for the ‘American Conversations’ project,” said Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser. “I applaud her dedication to connecting with rural communities across the country, and especially the vibrant communities we have here in Louisiana.”

During the events, Smith will read selections of her own poetry and pieces from American Journal: Fifty Poems for Our Timeand will engage audiences in discussions of the poems and the power of poetry. American Journal, was published this fall by Graywolf Press and The Library of Congress and features the works of 50 living American poets of different backgrounds, offering 50 different outlooks on America. Complimentary copies of the anthology will be available to all program attendees.

“The mission of the Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana is to stimulate public interest in books and reading. We do this through a range of programs and events, and perhaps are most well-known for hosting the Louisiana Book Festival. We are thrilled by the opportunity to host U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith and help her bring her contagious excitement for poetry to our state,” said State Librarian Rebecca Hamilton. “I couldn’t agree more with Smith’s belief that poetry helps readers slow down and think more passionately and deeply, that poetry inspires us to see the world from another’s eyes, and that poetry is for everyone.”

Smith will also give a private reading to members of the United Houma Nation, including Principal Chief August Creppel, at their main office in Houma during her visit to Louisiana’s Bayou Country.

“I’m very excited about the opportunity to take what I consider to be the good news of poetry to parts of the country where literary festivals don’t always go,” Smith said. “Poetry is something that is relevant to everyone’s life, whether they’re habitual readers of poetry or not.”

Smith was appointed as the 22nd Poet Laureate of the United States on June 14, 2017, by Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, and was reappointed to a second term on March 22, 2018. She is the author of four books of poetry, including Wade in the Waterpublished in April 2018; Life on Mars(2011), winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry; Duende(2007), winner of the 2006 James Laughlin Award and the 2008 Essence Literary Award; and The Body’s Question(2003), winner of the Cave Canem Poetry Prize. Smith is also the author of a memoir, Ordinary Light(2015), a finalist for the 2015 National Book Award in Nonfiction and selected as a Notable Book by The New York Timesand The Washington Post.

 The visits have been organized in conjunction with the Poetry and Literature Center in the Library of Congress, and are being hosted with the generous support of the Lafourche Parish Public Library and the National Park Service in Louisiana. Since the beginning of the fall, Smith has visited Alaska, South Dakota, and Maine. This past spring, as part of a pilot for the project, she visited New Mexico, South Carolina, and Kentucky. Follow the visits on social media with the hashtag #AmericanConversations. For more information, please visit http://www.read.gov/americanconversations/louisiana.

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Contact:
Rebecca Hamilton
State Library of Louisiana
225.342.4923
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Julio Guichard/Bill Sherman
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
225.342.7009
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Information on the listings are at the link below:

https://vacationidea.com/ideas/best-library-festivals-usa.html

Announcing an exciting line-up of musicians, chefs, and authors

 BATON ROUGE, La.–  The 15th Annual Louisiana Book Festival will feature chefs, cookbook authors, foodways as well as music historians and scholars, musicians, and more on Saturday, November 10, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. throughout Capitol Park in Downtown Baton Rouge.

 “In Louisiana, it’s not a real celebration unless you have some fantastic live music and something delicious to eat,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. “The Louisiana Book Festival truly offers a full festival experience. We hope you join the party.”

 “We’re always excited for the opportunity to celebrate Louisiana’s unique culture, rich musical talent, and delicious cuisine at the book festival each year,” said State Librarian Rebecca Hamilton. “We hope attendees take full advantage of all the fun offered at the festival. Best of all, just like our panel presentations, book talks, and other programs, there is absolutely no charge to listen to world-class musicians performing on the Entertainment Stage, or to sample the food prepared by renowned chefs in our Cooking Demonstration Tent.”

 Top Chef fan favorite and four-time James Beard Best Chef of the South Finalist and Semi-Finalist Isaac Toups will be giving a cooking demonstrationand signing his cookbook, Chasing the Gator. Also featured in the Cooking Demonstration Tent will be health coach Brittany Lynn Kriger with her book, Glowing Goddess Guru Beast Manifesto; Nancy Tregre Wilson with her cookbook, Mémère's Country Creole Cookbook: Recipes and Memories from Louisiana's German Coast; and 2018 King of Louisiana and American Seafood and Louisiana Cookin’ magazine 2017 “Chef to Watch” Chef Ryan Trahan. Poppy Tooker, author, culinary historian, and host of the popular weekly radio show Louisiana Eats! will also be in attendance with her latest book, Pascal's Manale Cookbook: A Family Tradition, together with Justin Nystrom, author of Creole Italian: Sicilian Immigrants and the Shaping of New Orleans Food Culture; and Joe Johnston will explore the history of Southern food with his book, Grits to Glory: How Southern Cookin' Got So Good. There’s even a novel flavored with meals for death row prisoners, The Last Suppers by Mandy Mikulencak.

 Young foodies can get a taste of the fun in the Cooking Demonstration Tent with Louisiana author Whitney Stewart, who will be presenting her book, What's on Your Plate?: Exploring the World of Food. Other featured titles for young people that focus on Louisiana cuisine include Gumbo: A Magical Bayou Taleby Cajun native Alexis Braud; and Who Got the Baby in the King Cake? by the 2017 Louisiana Writer Award recipient, Johnette Downing.

 Literary musical highlights include writer Rien Fertel with his featured book Drive-By Truckers' Southern Rock Opera, which explores the history of Southern Rock as a part of Bloomsbury’s 33 1/3 series of short books about popular music; and Gavin Cologne-Brookes, professor of American literature and program leader for the MA in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University in England, discussing his American Lonesome: The Work of Bruce Springsteen.

 All cooking demonstrations, book discussions, and panel presentations will be followed by book signings in the Barnes and Noble book signing tent, where attendees will have the opportunity to meet featured presenters and have their books signed and personalized.

 This year’s Louisiana Book Festival will also feature musical performances in a variety of genres ranging from funk to alternative, country blues to surf rock, on the Entertainment Stage from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., including performances by DUBYA, Circa Amore, Henry Turner, Bucket List, and The Bills. J.D. Wilkes, charismatic frontman for the Legendary Shack Shakers, will give a solo performance and is also a featured author at the festival for his debut novel, The Vine That Ate the South.

 For a full list of authors, information about their books, and a downloadable schedule, please visit www.LouisianaBookFestival.org.

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Contact:
Rebecca Hamilton
State Library of Louisiana
225.342.4923
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Julio Guichard/Bill Sherman
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
225.342.7009
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What Young Readers and Families Can Expect at the 15th Annual Louisiana Book Festival

 BATON ROUGE, La.– The Louisiana Book Festival is thrilled to announce an exciting line-up of activities and programs for young people from toddlers to teens as it celebrates 15 years as the Pelican State’s premier literary event. The festival, to be held on Saturday, November 10, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. in Baton Rouge’s Capitol Park, will feature author talks and book signings, a special Teen Headquarters, storytellers, games, crafts, face painting, balloon animals, live musical performances, and special appearances by Curious George and Clifford the Big Red Dog. As always, the festival is free and open to the public.

 “The Louisiana Book Festival gives the young people of our state an extraordinary opportunity to meet, listen to, interact with, and have their favorite books signed and personalized by some of the most popular and renowned children’s and young adult authors from across the country,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. “Best of all, the book festival will hopefully inspire the next generation of great Louisiana writers.”

 “Literacy rates are a critical indicator of the economic, cultural, and overall health of any community,” said State Librarian Rebecca Hamilton. “The Louisiana Book Festival not only offers an entertaining festival experience for families of all ages, but is a fantastic enrichment opportunity that motivates young people to become life-long readers. Whether you are coming to see your favorite author, or to discover your next great read, the Louisiana Book Festival is a must for your family fall calendar!”

 The festival is excited to welcome back the 2017 Louisiana Writer Award recipient and Louisiana native, Johnette Downing. Other authors featured at this year’s festival include The New York Timesbestselling author, poet, and Coretta Scott King and Caldecott honor recipient Carole Boston Weatherford with her Walter award winning picture book, Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library; Newbery honor winner Rita Williams-Garcia with her National Book Award finalist chapter book Clayton Byrd Goes Underground; The New York Times bestselling young adult authors Justina Ireland, Karen McManus, Joelle Charbonneau, and New Orleans’ own Daniel José Older; Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice selection and  NAACP Image Award winner Gwendolyn Hooks with her picture book biography Tiny Stitches: The Life of Medical Pioneer Vivien Thomas; and Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated actress and Louisiana native Quvenzhané Wallis with her latest series, Shai & Emmie, along with many others.

 Louisiana native William Joyce, children’s author, illustrator, and Academy Award winning filmmaker, will be in attendance to sign books and present a program on Jack Frost: The End Becomes the Beginning, available for the first time at the festival before its official publication date. Joyce is also the creator of this year’s festival artwork, which depicts his beloved character Mr. Morris Lessmore with his fantastic flying books floating over the State Capitol and is featured on festival merchandise.

 Celebrated, bestselling author and artist Svetlana Chamakova, winner of the Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice award for her graphic novel, Awkward, will be honored and give a presentation at noon in the State Library, followed by a book signing at the Barnes and Noble bookselling tent.

 For a full list of authors and schedule, please visit www.LouisianaBookFestival.org.

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Contact:
Rebecca Hamilton
State Library of Louisiana
225.342.4923
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Julio Guichard/Bill Sherman
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
225.342.7009
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What to Expect as We Open the Pages of Another Book Festival Weekend

BATON ROUGE, La.– Mark your calendars: the 15th annual Louisiana Book Festival will be held on Saturday, November 10,from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This free, family-friendly, annual festival celebrating readers, writers, and their books returns to its premier location in downtown Baton Rouge’s Capitol Park with events and programming in the Louisiana State Capitol, State Library of Louisiana, Capitol Park Museum, Capitol Park Welcome Center, and in tents on neighboring streets. More than 250 authors and presenters will discuss their books at over 100 programs throughout the day, followed by book signings in the Barnes and Noble tent, where all featured titles will also be available for purchase. The 2018 festival also includes the Young Readers Pavilion, where children and parents can enjoy children’s authors, storytelling performances, book-related crafts, face painting, and balloon animals; Teen HQ, featuring bestselling and award-winning young adult authors and activities; live musical performances; cooking demonstrations; and a wide variety of book-related activities and exhibitors.

“Louisiana is well-known for its vibrant festivals, and the Louisiana Book Festival is one of the best,” said Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser, who, along with State Librarian Rebecca Hamilton, will kick off this year’s festival with the presentation of the Louisiana Writer Award to poet and essayist Sheryl St. Germain. “You simply can’t beat the joyful atmosphere that reverberates through downtown Baton Rouge each year for the Louisiana Book Festival. It is something I think every Louisianan should experience!”

“We’re so proud to bring the entirely free Louisiana Book Festival to Baton Rouge each year,” said State Librarian Rebecca Hamilton. “Whether you’re interested in a page-turning mystery, an inspiring memoir, the hottest new Young Adult series, gorgeous literary prose, or fascinating true-crime stories, there is truly something for everyone at the Louisiana Book Festival. We encourage visitors to bring the whole family!”

Authors attending this year’s festival include Pulitzer Prize winner Jack E. Davis discussing his book The Gulf: The Making of An American Sea; legendary author and recipient of the first ever Louisiana Writer Award Ernest J. Gaines; and, New Orleans chef and Top Chef season 13 fan favorite Isaac Toups doing cooking demos from his cookbook, Chasing the Gator: Isaac Toups and the New Cajun Cooking, and many more. To learn about additional authors attending the 15th Louisiana Book Festival, click here. Also featured will be programs on books discussing beloved literary classic characters including Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy: The Story of Little Women and Why It Still Matters by UNO professor Anne Boyd Rioux and Atticus Finch: The Biography by prize-winning historian Joseph Crespino.

The festival is also excited to welcome poet GennaRose Nethercott whose book The Lumberjack’s Dove was selected as a winner of the National Poetry Series. GennaRose will be available during the festival to compose personalized, custom “poetry-to-order” which she creates on a 1952 Hermes Rocket typewriter on any topic of an attendee’s choice. GennaRose then reads the poem aloud before handing the individual the only existing copy of the poem, which is theirs to keep! 

Now in its tenth year, the One Book, One Festival program invites attendees to read the same title in advance and later join the scholar-led discussion with others during the festival. LSU professor Dr. Katie Henninger will lead this year’s discussion of E. P. O'Donnell's 1941 literary and cultural classic novel The Great Big Doorstep.

This year’s official festival artwork was created by Louisiana native William Joyce, Academy Award winning writer, illustrator, and filmmaker, and features his beloved character Mr. Morris Lessmore floating over the State Capitol with the aid of his fantastic flying books. Signed, commemorative posters will be available for purchase from our merchandise and information tents along with t-shirts, tote bags, souvenir pins, mugs, and a special 15th anniversary Christmas ornament.

Pre-festival events on Friday, November 9, at the State Library include half-day WordShops, which offer opportunities for aspiring writers of all levels to work in an intimate setting with renowned authors. This year, The New York Times bestselling Jonathan Evison,Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers pick Tessa Fontaine, and acclaimed essayist LSU writing professor Joshua Wheeler are leading writing wordshops, while authors Suzanne Hudson and Joe Formichella will be leading a wordshop on self-publishing.

For more information, including how to register for WordShops and sign-up to volunteer and receive a free Louisiana Book Festival t-shirt, please visit www.LouisianaBookFestival.org.

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Contact:
Rebecca Hamilton
State Library of Louisiana
225.342.4923
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Julio Guichard/Bill Sherman
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
225.342.7009
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