The Nebraska Center for the Book will present the
2014 Jane
Geske Award to The Bookworm bookstore at the
November 8 Celebration of Nebraska Books in downtown
Lincoln. Omaha’s Bookworm bookstore will be honored for their
extraordinary contribution to Nebraska’s community of the book. The
Bookworm is seen as a critical part of the Omaha reading community.
For twenty-eight years it has encouraged, nurtured, and supported
books, readers, and writers. The store has a knowledgeable staff
that read widely and guide customers to a variety of books and
authors. The Bookworm also sponsors many Authors Series programs,
bringing in the best authors from around the world to interact with
the public through readings and book signings. The Bookworm also
works closely with the Omaha Public Libraries by helping to support
library events and projects, providing books for author events, and
co-sponsoring an annual service project. Omaha Public Library
Director Gary Wasdin said, “The Bookworm is one of the library’s
strongest partners in Omaha.”
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, bookselling, 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 November 8 Celebration, free and open to the public, will also
feature presentation of the 2014 Nebraska Book Awards, and some of
the winning authors will read from their work. A list of winners is
posted at
http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/awards.html. The
Celebration of Nebraska Books is scheduled for 3:30 - 6:30 p.m. at
1200 N Street, with the Nebraska Center for the Book Annual Meeting
to be held at 2:30 p.m. and an Awards Reception, book signings, and
announcement of the 2015 One Book One Nebraska book choice
concluding the festivities. The Celebration is sponsored by the
Nebraska Center for the Book and the Nebraska Library Commission,
with support from the Friends of the University of Nebraska Press.
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.
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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.