The Nebraska Center for the Book presented the 2013 Jane Geske Award
to the Nebraska Library Commission at the recent Celebration of
Nebraska Books. The Nebraska Library Commission was honored for
their extraordinary contribution to literacy, books, reading,
libraries, or literature in Nebraska. Since 1901 the Nebraska
Library Commission has been dedicated to statewide promotion,
development, and coordination of library services. Underscoring the
Commission’s long-term commitment to literature and literacy,
several Library Commission staff members served on the founding
board of the Nebraska Center for the Book in 1990-along with Jane
Pope Geske. The Nebraska Library Commission has continued to provide
staff support and funding to ensure that the activities and efforts
of the Nebraska Center for the Book volunteers can be consistently
delivered.
The Nebraska Center for the Book annually presents the Jane Geske
Award to an organization, business, library, school, association, or
other group that has made an exceptional contribution to literacy,
books, reading, libraries, or Nebraska literature. The Jane Geske
Award commemorates Geske's passion for books, and was established in
recognition of her contributions to the well-being of the libraries
of Nebraska. Jane Geske was the director of the Nebraska Library
Commission, a founding member of the Nebraska Center for the Book, a
Lincoln bookseller, and a long-time leader in Nebraska library and
literary activities.
The Nebraska State Historical Society’s Nebraska History Museum was
the site of the 2013 Celebration of Nebraska Books, sponsored by the
Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Humanities Council, Nebraska
Library Commission, Nebraska State Historical Society, and
University of Nebraska Press. The celebration also featured
presentation of the 2013 Nebraska Book Awards, including readings by
some of the winning authors. A list of the winning books is located
at
http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/awards.html.
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 the 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.
###
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.