Public Information and Communication
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 31, 2012
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tessa Terry
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
Award for Promotion of Literature
Presented
The Nebraska State Historical Society's
Nebraska History Museum was the site of the 2012 Nebraska Book Festival,
sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Humanities Council,
Nebraska Library Commission, Nebraska State Historical Society, and the
University of Nebraska Press. The Festival, Guilty Pleasures, featured
presentation of the Nebraska Center for the Book's Mildred Bennett
Award to Beatrice Public Library Director Laureen Riedesel.
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. Riedesel was honored for her long service to Nebraska’s cultural
heritage, especially her work to foster literary development throughout the
state by heading the Nebraska Center for the Book's Letters about
Literature effort, as well as her many years of service to the
Beatrice community.
A Keynote Presentation by Ron Hanson,
author of A Wild Surge of Guilty Passion: A Novel, highlighted the
Festival. The event also included readings by Nebraska authors with books
published in 2011, writers' workshops, and a special presentation by Joe
Starita, author of "I Am a Man" Chief Standing Bear's Journey for
Justice, the 2012 One Book One Nebraska selection.
Marvel Maring, an Omaha-based artist specializing in book arts, donated the
artwork for the 2012 Mildred Bennet Award. The artwork is handset and
printed letterpress with watercolor background. It is an excerpt from Wendy
Rawlings' book, Come Back Irish.
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." 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.
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