Public Information and Communication
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 9, 2013
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tessa Terry
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
Award for Promotion of Literature
Presented
The University of Nebraska at Omaha Thompson Alumni Center was the site
of the 2013 Nebraska Book Festival, sponsored by Humanities Nebraska,
Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Cultural Endowment, Nebraska Library
Commission, University of Nebraska at Omaha College of Arts and Sciences,
and University of Nebraska Press. The Festival, Believing in Nebraska
Writers, featured the presentation of the Nebraska Center for the
Book's Mildred Bennett Award to Jane Renner Hood, of
Lincoln.
The award recognizes an individual who has made a significant
contribution to the fostering of the literary tradition in Nebraska. It
reminds us all of the importance of individual leadership and service to the
literary and intellectual traditions that enrich our lives. Jane Renner Hood
was honored for her long service to Nebraska's cultural heritage, serving as
the Executive Director of the Nebraska Humanities Council (now Humanities
Nebraska) for 23 years before her retirement in 2010. Under her leadership,
the Council awarded more than 1,900 grants of over 3.8 million dollars to
organizations in Nebraska. Nearly half of these were based on authors,
literature and storytelling. The Council also funded Speakers' Bureau
programs across the state, including presentations on Nebraska authors and
state history. During her 23 years of leadership, funding was expanded to
include support for the Nebraska Book Festival and statewide programs to
complement the annual One Book One Nebraska reading project. Omaha-based
artist Eddith Buis donated the artwork for the 2013 Mildred Bennet Award.
Omaha printer, book artist and poet Denise Brady, made the portfolio case
for this award presentation.
A Keynote Presentation by Kurt Andersen, author of True Believers,
opened the Festival. The event also included readings by Nebraska authors
with books published in 2012, writers' workshops, and a special presentation
by Andrew Jewell, co-editor of The Selected Letters of Willa Cather,
highlighting the 2013 One Book One Nebraska selection: O Pioneers!
by Willa Cather.
The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library
Commission and brings together the state's readers, writers, booksellers,
librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the
community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public
interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for
the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission.
As Nebraska's state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an
advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The
mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and
coordination of library and information services-"bringing together people
and information."
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission
are always available on the Library Commission Website,
http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.