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The following newsletters have been published and distributed to members, volunteers, and interested persons as part of our efforts to provide the necessary public awareness and support to ensure that the Saint Paul Public Library is among the foremost library systems in the United States.
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Recent News at The Friends
SAINT PAUL PUBLIC LIBRARY AND FRIENDS WIN BIG AT 2010 NORTHERN LIGHTS AWARDS
WEST 7TH LIBRARY REOPENS WITH A COMPUTER LAB, MORE SPACE
22ND ANNUAL MINNESOTA BOOK AWARDS PRESENTED
SAINT PAUL PUBLIC LIBRARY CARDHOLDERS CAN GET FREE TICKETS TO SAMPLE NIGHT LIVE!
SAINT PAUL PUBLIC LIBRARY LAUNCHES NEW SERIES OF AFTER-HOURS EVENTS IN CENTRAL LIBRARY
MEET THE FINALISTS AT THE READERS' CHOICE EVENT, THEN VOTE BEFORE MARCH 31
MINNESOTA BOOK AWARDS FINALISTS ANNOUNCED JANUARY 30, 2010
MINNESOTA BOOK AWARDS ANNOUNCES 2010 BOOK ARTIST AWARD WINNER
PHOTOGRAPHER CLYDE BUTCHER BRINGS ‘AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL’ TO ST. PAUL
KNIGHT FOUNDATION AWARDS $300,000 GRANT FOR MOBILE WORKPLACE PROJECT
NEIGHBORING LIBRARIES TO PRESENT MONUMENTAL PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT
GIVE TO THE MAX DAY WAS A SUCCESS... THANK YOU!
GIVEMN.ORG LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE WEBSITE THAT WILL LET YOU CLICK, CONTRIBUTE AND CHANGE YOUR WORLD
MICHAEL CONNELLY DISCUSSES "9 DRAGONS" AT OPUS & OLIVES
THE FRIENDS OF THE SAINT PAUL PUBLIC LIBRARY ANNOUNCES 2010 ADVOCACY PLATFORM
MAYOR PRESENTS PROPOSED 2010 LIBRARY BUDGET WITH REDUCED CUTS, NO CLOSURES
“PRIZED WRITERS: PLOTTING MYSTERIES” TPT- MN CHANNEL TELEVISION PREMIERE
MAYOR COLEMAN NAMES KATHERINE "KIT" HADLEY AS CITY'S NEW LIBRARY DIRECTOR
MINNESOTA LIBRARIES GAIN $4.25 MILLION FOR ARTS AND CULTURAL PROGRAMS
21ST ANNUAL MINNESOTA BOOK AWARDS PRESENTED
SAINT PAUL PUBLIC LIBRARY RECEIVES TOP HONORS
MPR: LIBRARY USAGE ON THE RISE
PATRICK COLEMAN NAMED 2009 KAY SEXTON AWARD WINNER
PAULETTE MYERS-RICH NAMED 2009 BOOK ARTIST OF THE YEAR
THE FRIENDS TO CREATE "VIRTUAL" MINNESOTA WRITERS HALL OF FAME
MORE AMERICAN ADULTS READ LITERATURE ACCORDING TO NEW NEA STUDY
Saint Paul Public Library and Communications Service Departments Win Big at 2010 Northern Lights Awards
SAINT PAUL, MN, May 21, 2010 – Edging out 14 other government communications agencies, the Saint Paul Public Library won Best in Show for their WORKplace campaign at last night’s 2010 Northern Lights Awards. The Library was also presented an Award of Excellence for the WORKplace marketing plan.
"More than 150 entries were submitted, but 14 entries were nominated for Best of Show," reported Sheree Savage, Marketing and Communications Manager for the
Saint Paul Public Library. "At the end of the presentation, the announcer said, '...the award goes to SPPL and The Friends of the Saint Paul Paul Public Library'!" Saint Paul Communications Services also had a good showing at the awards, taking home four Awards of Merit.
Presented by the Minnesota Association of Government Communicators, the awards recognize the best in city communications over the past year. The Best in Show award is presented to the top communications campaign of the year. The WORKplace provides resources to the public on jobs, career counseling, continuing education and small business resources. Saint Paul Communications Services, part of the Office of Technology and Communications, received their awards for videos informing the public on a wide range of topics, including pot holes and the Fire Department’s Citizen’s Academy.
“It is because of our Library and Communications Service departments that Saint Paul residents have access to important information, from career resources to emergency preparedness. These awards recognize the amazing quality and dedication Saint Paul communication employees bring to their work. They are working everyday to keep Saint Paul the Most Livable City in America,” Mayor Chris Coleman said.
The Library and the Friends were recognized with seven awards this year for marketing efforts around the WORKplace. From the Job Resource Center, the Hotspot Community Learning Center, and Small Business Resource Center, to staff creating many program series campaigns by working with community partners like JJ Hill Reference Library, and offering a great number of opportunities for residents to connect to job and career resources, it's a system-wide initiative that helps hundreds of patrons.
The WORKplace has so far been recognized by:
Public Relations Society of America:
- Institutional Programs
- Marketing Services
- Integrated Communications
International Association of Business Communicators
- Customer Relations
- Economic, Social and Environmental Development
Minnesota Association of Government Communicators
- Best of Show 2010
- Marketing Plans
WEST 7TH LIBRARY REOPENS WITH A COMPUTER LAB, MORE SPACE
Community partners made it possible for library expansion
SAINT PAUL, MN (April 19, 2010) - The Saint Paul Public Library’s West 7th branch, 265 Oneida St., reopened today after a four-month renovation. The official grand reopening reception is scheduled for the community at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 6, at the West 7th branch.
The new space offers new shelving and reading areas, as well as 15 more computer work stations. The additional 520 square feet added to the library provided a separate computer lab with its own entrance, so it can be open when the library is closed. The computer lab will be available for free public Internet access, word processing and free computer classes.
With financial support from the Minnesota Legacy Amendment Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, West 7th Library staff are working with a local artist to help area students create public art for the new library space. The public art is expected to be on display starting in early May.
The library's renovation was possible through a partnership with the West 7th Community Center and the City of Saint Paul. While space is provided by the Community Center, the expansion was supported with a federally funded Community Block Development Grant that the City of St. Paul applied for and received. Additionally, the Library was awarded a Gates Foundation grant to purchase computer equipment that provided additional community access to computers and classes.
The West 7th branch hours will be Monday and Thursday, 12:30 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, 11:30 to 5:30 p.m., Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The branch is closed on weekends.
Click here to see the video of the ribbon cutting at the West Seventh Branch Library.
22ND ANNUAL MINNESOTA BOOK AWARDS PRESENTED
April 17, 2010, SAINT PAUL, MN – The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library is pleased to announce the winners of the 22nd annual Minnesota Book Awards. In addition to winners in eight categories, the Book Awards presented the Readers’ Choice Award, which was selected by over 2,ooo voters from across Minnesota. The annual Minnesota Book Awards program is a project of The Friends, in consortium with the Saint Paul Public Library and the City of Saint Paul.
Nearly 750 people attended a gala award ceremony on Saturday, April 17, hosted by Marianne Combs of Minnesota Public Radio. Announced at the gala, the winners of the 2010 Minnesota Book Awards are:
Award for Children’s Literature, sponsored by Books for Africa:
Joyce Sidman – Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors – published by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
This imaginative book describes the changing colors of the seasons with beautiful poems and vivid illustrations. Color becomes more than just what you see; it becomes something that you can hear and smell – something that has its own thoughts, feelings, and actions. Joyce Sidman is the author of several books of poetry including Songs of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems which won the Caldecott Honor.
Award for General Nonfiction, sponsored by Minnesota AFL-CIO:
Joy K. Lintelman – I Go to America: Swedish American Women and the Life of Mina Anderson – published by Minnesota Historical Society Press*
I Go to America traces the story of writer Mina Anderson, who emigrated from Sweden to Wisconsin and then to the Twin Cities where she worked as a domestic servant. It explores her move to rural Mille Lacs County where she and her husband worked a farm, raised seven children, and contributed widely to rural Swedish community life through her poetry, fiction, and letters to Swedish American newspapers. Joy K. Lintelman is a professor of history at Concordia College in Moorhead.
Award for Genre Fiction, sponsored by Wellington Management, Inc.:
David Housewright – Jelly’s Gold – published by Minotaur Books/St. Martin’s Press
In 1933, Frank “Jelly” Nash was suspected of masterminding a daring robbery of gold bars, and left the treasure somewhere in St. Paul. Two graduate students and two thugs are in competition to find the legendary stash of gold. Rushmore McKenzie, a retired St. Paul policeman, gets involved in the search for the treasure – and also a killer – when the hunt turns deadly. David Housewright has won both an Edgar and a Minnesota Book Award for his crime fiction.
Award for Memoir & Creative Nonfiction:
Kent Nerburn – The Wolf at Twilight: An Indian Elder’s Journey through a Land of Ghosts and Shadows – published by New World Library
Suspenseful, touching, humorous, tragic, and powerful are just a few of the words that could be used to describe Kent Nerburn’s captivating story of his journey to help an elderly Native American man discover what happened to his long lost sister. Nerburn brings light to the complicated friendship between a white American and a Lakota Indian, and the reader is allowed a private and extraordinary glimpse into the life and wisdom of a tribal elder. Kent Nerburn has written a dozen books on spirituality and Native themes, including Chief Joseph and the Flight of the Nez Perce which was featured on the History Channel.
Award for Minnesota, sponsored by Xcel Energy:
Cary J. Griffith – Opening Goliath: Danger and Discovery in Caving – published by Borealis Books/Minnesota Historical Society Press*
The author recounts the amazing story of Goliath’s Cave in southeastern Minnesota, discovered by recreational cavers in the 1980s. With a mix of adventure, suspense, politics, science, discovery and wonder, Opening Goliath takes readers to a subterranean wilderness where exploration and preservation sometimes coexist – and sometimes collide. Cary J. Griffith is a freelance writer who specializes in writing about the outdoors.
Award for Novel & Short Story:
Marlon James – The Book of Night Women – published by Riverhead Books/Penguin Group
This sweeping and astonishing novel tells the story of Lilith, a slave on a Jamaican sugar plantation who possesses a dark power. A group of slaves who call themselves the “Night Women” are plotting a revolt and assume Lilith’s powers will be the key to success. However, as Lilith begins to assume her identity, she chooses a different path which poses a threat to the conspiracy. Marlon James teaches literature and creative writing at Macalester College. His first novel, John Crow’s Devil, was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.
Award for Poetry:
Jude Nutter – I Wish I Had a Heart Like Yours, Walt Whitman – published by University of Notre Dame Press
In this collection, the poet invokes, invites and revises Walt Whitman’s civil war poems through contemporary and female perspectives. The poems bridge the gap between past and present, loss and reclamation through passionate lyrics full of clarity, imagination and sureness of vision. Jude has received many national and international awards, including a Minnesota Book Award in 2007 for The Curator of Silence.
Award for Young People’s Literature, sponsored by 3M Company:
Kate DiCamillo – The Magician’s Elephant – published by Candlewick Press
Peter Augustus Duchene is a ten year old orphan who is training to be a soldier in the city of Baltese. He was told his parents and sister are dead, but after a visit to a fortuneteller, he discovers his sister is alive. The fortuneteller tells Peter an elephant will lead him to her, which seems a bit silly and improbable at first; however, when an elephant magically appears, Peter vows to take the elephant and find his sister. Kate DiCamillo won the Newbery Medal for her book The Tale of Despereaux.
The Readers’ Choice Award, sponsored by Pioneer Press and TwinCities.com:
Dave Kenney – Honor Bright: A Century of Scouting in Northern Star Council – published by Northern Star Council, Boy Scouts of America*
This captivating and richly illustrated collection consists of stories and photographs of the Boy Scouts of America’s first century in central Minnesota and western Wisconsin. From the start of the Boy Scout Movement in 1910 to the Scouts’ contributions to the nation’s war effort in the 1940s, to the growth of Scouting in the 2000s to serve one hundred thousand young people each year, this book covers everything. Dave Kenney is a freelance writer specializing in Minnesota history.
*indicates a Minnesota-based publisher
At the Book Awards gala on April 17, Carolyn Holbrook received the previously announced Kay Sexton Award, for her lifelong contributions to Minnesota’s literary community. Since the early 1980s, Holbrook’s vision has been to promote the inclusion of disparate voices in the global community. She remains committed to writers, readers and spoken word artists - reaching out to individuals and communities whose access to opportunities for exploration of writing is limited or nonexistent. Holbrook’s work connects arts organizations, schools, individual artists, and neighborhoods. The Award is sponsored by Common Good Books.
Also presented was the third annual Book Artist Award, co-sponsored by Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA). The award, presented to Wilber H. Schilling, recognizes a Minnesota book artist for excellence throughout a body of work, as well as significant contributions to Minnesota’s book arts community. Schilling’s work is currently being shown at St. Paul’s Central Library, 90 W. 4th St., through the end of April.
Books written by a Minnesotan and first published in 2009 were eligible for the 22nd annual Minnesota Book Awards. 250 books were nominated for awards this year, and 32 books were selected as finalists. The winners were chosen by panels of judges from the list of finalists. Nominations for next year’s Awards will open in early fall, 2010. For more information on the Book Awards process, and a complete list of finalists and winners since 1988, click here.
The Book Awards gala will be broadcast on Saint Paul Neighborhood Network and TPT-MN Channel at a later date. Check your local listings for the channel, date and time of broadcast.
The 22nd annual Minnesota Book Awards is a Capital City project, led by The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, with the Saint Paul Public Library and the City of Saint Paul. Statewide outreach partners include: the Loft Literary Center, Metropolitan Library Service Agency (MELSA); Minnesota Department of Education—State Library Services; Minnesota Educational Media Organization; Minnesota Library Foundation; and Saint Paul Almanac. Media sponsors include: Minnesota Public Radio, Pioneer Press, Saint Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN),Swank Audio Visual and TPT-Minnesota Channel. Major funding for the Book Awards was provided by Boss Foundation, the Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts; the Huss Foundation; The Katherine B. Andersen Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation; a Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Office of State Library Services; a Cultural STAR grant from the City of Saint Paul, 3M Company, Books for Africa, Minnesota AFL-CIO; Wellington Management, Inc.; and Xcel Energy.
SAINT PAUL PUBLIC LIBRARY CARDHOLDERS CAN GET FREE TICKETS TO SAMPLE NIGHT LIVE!
Twelve mini-shows captivate and entertain in bite-sized snippets of theater, music, comedy, poetry, art and improv.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Act One - G-Rated, 7 p.m.
Act Two - Unrated, 8:15 p.m.
Hosted by Auntie Jennie, Uncle Gus, Captain Seadog Roberts and his Wench
House Band: The Smarts
In the Lobby: Becky Laff
Scheduled performances include:
| Act One (G-rated): 7 p.m. Rince na Chroi Irish Dancers (Irish Dance) Kaivama (Folk Music) Pete'N'Putter (Improv) Cromatico (Vocal Ensemble) Mr. and Mrs. Magic Auntie Jennie & Uncle Gus |
Act Two (Unrated): 8:15 p.m. Mannequin Love presents "Uncanny Valley" (Performance Art) Minnesota Dance Ensemble (Modern & Jazz Dance) Rewired Theatre Company presents "ROBO-homa!" Bearded Men Improv Bite Me Twilight (Musical Parody) |
AND... you could win two tickets to The Guthrie Theater, The Ordway or one of even more prizes donated by the performers of this Sample Night Live!
Through a special arrangement with the Saint Paul Arts and Culture Partnership, you can preview a dozen upcoming performing arts events on the first Wednesday of every month at Sample Night Live! Touted as "12 shows. One night. 20 bucks," Saint Paul Public Library cardholders can get a free ticket (a $20 value) to preview samples of the best: theatre, classical music, dance, novelty acts (escape artists, magicians, light bulb eaters, etc.), vocalists, puppetry, wonder kids, stand-up comedy, improv, jazz, independent film, poetry slammers, performance artists, local bands and more! Next show: 7:00 p.m., July 7, 2010 at History Theatre, 30 East 10th Street, Downtown Saint Paul. Visit the Sample Night Live! website for more information and to reserve your tickets.
First-Ever National Study: Millions of People Rely on Library Computers for Employment, Health, and Education
77 million people used library computers and Internet access in past year
March 25, 2010 - PORTLAND, Ore. -- Nearly one-third of Americans age 14 or older–roughly 77 million people–used a public library computer or wireless network to access the Internet in the past year, according to a national report released today. In 2009, as the nation struggled through a recession, people relied on library technology to find work, apply for college, secure government benefits, learn about critical medical treatments, and connect with their communities.
The report, Opportunity for All: How the American Public Benefits from Internet Access at U.S. Libraries, is based on the first, large-scale study of who uses public computers and Internet access in public libraries, the ways library patrons use this free technology service, why they use it, and how it affects their lives. It was conducted by the University of Washington Information School and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Low-income adults are more likely to rely on the public library as their sole access to computers and the Internet than any other income group. Overall, 44 percent of people living below the federal poverty line used computers and the Internet at their public libraries.
Americans across all age groups reported they used library computers and Internet access. Teenagers are the most active users. Half of the nation’s 14- to 18-year-olds reported that they used a library computer during the past year, typically to do school homework.
“People from all walks of life use library computers to perform routine and life-changing tasks, from emailing friends to finding jobs,” said Michael Crandall, senior lecturer and chair of the Master of Science in Information Management at the University of Washington Information School. “More than three-quarters of those who used the library Internet connections had access at home, work, or elsewhere. Oftentimes, they needed a faster connection, assistance from a librarian, or temporary access in an emergency.”
The use of library technology had significant impact in four critical areas: employment, education, health, and making community connections. In the last 12 months:
- 40 percent of library computer users (an estimated 30 million people) received help with career needs. Among these users, 75 percent reported they searched for a job online. Half of these users filled out an online application or submitted a resume.
- 37 percent focused on health issues. The vast majority of these users (82 percent) logged on to learn about a disease, illness, or medical condition. One-third of these users sought out doctors or health care providers. Of these, about half followed up by making appointments for care.
- 42 percent received help with educational needs. Among these users, 37 percent (an estimated 12 million students) used their local library computer to do homework for a class.
- Library computers linked patrons to their government, communities, and civic organizations. Sixty-percent of users – 43.3 million people – used a library’s computer resources to connect with others.
“There is no ambiguity in these numbers. Millions of people see libraries as an essential tool to connect them to information, knowledge, and opportunities,” said Marsha Semmel, acting director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. “Policy makers must fully recognize and support the role libraries are playing in workforce development, education, health and wellness, and the delivery of government services.”
The library’s role as a technology resource has exploded since 1996, when only 28 percent of libraries offered Internet access. Today, almost all public libraries offer visitors free access to computers and the Internet.
Unfortunately, up to a third of all libraries say they lack even minimally adequate Internet connections to meet demand. More report that they cannot provide the access their patrons truly need.
“Library technology services have created opportunity for millions of Americans, but public libraries struggle to replace aging computer workstations and increase the speed of their Internet connections,” said Allan Golston, president of the United States Program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “This study highlights what is at risk, particularly for low-income individuals who heavily rely on the public library for their technology, if future public and private investment in public libraries doesn’t keep pace with demand.”
The report’s findings are based on nearly 50,000 surveys – including 3,176 from a national telephone survey and 44,881 web survey responses – from patrons of more than 400 public libraries across the country. The full report is available at http://tascha.washington.edu/usimpact.
Saint Paul Public Library Launches New Series of After-Hours Events in Central Library
The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library is collaborating with local businesses and professional organizations to present “Book It: The Party” – a social event connecting busy people through friendship, food, drinks, games and service. The Friends invite adults of all ages (but particularly 20- to 40-somethings) to Central Library on Thursday, April 1 at 7 p.m. for an evening of fun, games and prizes.
March 17, 2010, SAINT PAUL, MN — The Saint Paul Public Library is launching a new series of social events in Central Library which will combine friendly competitions, world-class food, cocktails, art and music. Designed to bring young professionals into the Library and cultivate future leaders, “Book It: The Party” will provide guests an opportunity to meet new people, explore the Italian Renaissance Revival-style library that is the heart of the system, and possibly, give something back to the Library and the City in which they live and work.
The price for admission is being held at an affordable level to make it a bargain for younger attendees. “We’re hoping to find a corporate sponsor eventually,” said Liz Boyd, of The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, “but for this initial event, we’ve received funding from our Board of Directors and great discounts from our partners.” The cost per ticket is $30, or $25 with any library card. Library staffers will be on hand to help register anyone who wishes to sign up that evening for a Saint Paul Public Library card.
“Book It; The Party” was developed by an ad hoc group of young professionals from throughout the Twin Cities metro area who are part of a demographic segment that is looking for new ways to volunteer and support their community. Peter Pearson, President of The Friends, talked about the reasons for the new initiative. “The hope is that every special event will be a fundraiser, but with this event, we are equally concerned about reaching a new and younger audience to be part of a growing group of people in the Twin Cities who care about and support our public libraries.”
The first “Book It: The Party,” set for Thursday, April 1, 2010, features an adult Spelling Bee with teams of three spelling fast and furiously for the coveted prizes. Colorful and irreverent Irishman, John Cosgrove (former host of the monthly Pub Quiz at Kieran’s Irish Pub) will serve as emcee. “Having an Irishman host a Spelling Bee makes perfect sense as he comes from the land of great literary giants such as Joyce, Wilde and Beckett.” said Cosgrove, “Unfortunately all of those guys are no longer around, so you’ll have to settle for me and a spell check machine instead.”
In addition to the Spelling Bee, the organizers have planned a cell phone scavenger hunt, with contestants searching the nooks and crannies of Central Library, one of the most beautiful buildings in the Twin Cities, for ten specific architectural details. Again, there will be prizes awarded to the team finishing first.
Library program partner and next-door neighbor, the James J. Hill Reference Library will be open for the duration of the evening for guests to enjoy the extraordinary large-format, black and white photography currently on display in both libraries, “America the Beautiful: The Monumental Landscape of Clyde Butcher.” Supported by Legacy funds from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008, which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota’s arts and cultural heritage, “America the Beautiful” remains on display through April 15, 2010.
Food will be provided by James Beard Award-winner Tim McKee of Barrio Tequila Bar, and there will be a cash bar. DJ Jake Rudh – voted “Best D.J. in the Twin Cities” by the readers of City Pages magazine for seven years running – will be providing the music.
For additional information on “Book It: The Party,” contact Liz Boyd at 651-366-6490, or liz@.thefriends.org.
MEET THE MINNESOTA BOOK AWARDS FINALISTS AT THE READERS' CHOICE EVENT
Friday, March 12, 7 p.m.
Open Book, 1011 Washington Avenue South, Minneapolis
Free and open to the public.
March 5, 2010, SAINT PAUL, MN – The Minnesota Book Awards, coordinated by The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, presents a “Readers’ Choice Event” with the Loft Literary Center and the Pioneer Press. Meet finalists from each Minnesota Book Awards category and hear about their work on Friday, March 12, 7 p.m., at Open Book, 1011 Washington Avenue South, Minneapolis. Then log on to vote for the Readers' Choice Award anytime throughout March 2010.
The Readers’ Choice Award, sponsored by the Pioneer Press and TwinCities.com, is presented to the Minnesota Book Awards finalist who receives the most votes online at TwinCities.com during the month of March. Meet 14 finalists from the 8 Book Awards categories and hear about their work. A reception follows the program, as well as book sales, provided by Magers & Quinn Booksellers.
Authors appearing include: Kirstin Cronn-Mills (The Sky Always Hears Me and the Hills Don’t Mind); Dobby Gibson (Skirmish); Ray Gonzalez (Faith Run); David Housewright (Jelly’s Gold); Marlon James (The Book of Night Women); N. M. Kelby (A Travel Guide for Reckless Hearts); Dave Kenney (Honor Bright); Julie Klassen (The Silent Governess); Sue Leaf (The Bullhead Queen); Joy Lintelman (I Go to America); Iric Nathanson (Minneapolis in the Twentieth Century); Jude Nutter (I Wish I Had a Heart Like Yours, Walt Whitman); Laurie Purdie Salas (Stampede!); and Richard Thompson (Frag Box).
This program is free and open to the public. For more information, please call The Friends at 651-222-3242 or go online at www.thefriends.org.
MINNESOTA BOOK AWARDS FINALISTS ANNOUNCED
January 30, 2010, SAINT PAUL, MN – The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, in consortium with the Saint Paul Public Library and the City of Saint Paul, is pleased to announce the finalists in eight categories for the 22nd Annual Minnesota Book Awards.
Chosen on Saturday, January 30, by 24 judges from around the state, the finalists in the following categories are:
Children’s Literature, sponsored by Books For Africa:
- The Longest Night (Holiday House) by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by Ted Lewin
- Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski
- Song of Middle C (Candlewick Press) by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Scott Menchin
- Stampede! Poems to Celebrate the Wild Side of School (Clarion Books) by Laura Purdie Salas, illustrated by Steven Salerno
General Nonfiction, sponsored by Minnesota AFL-CIO:
- Drink This: Wine Made Simple (Ballantine Books/The Random House Publishing Group) by Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl
- I Go to America: Swedish American Women and the Life of Mina Anderson (Minnesota Historical Society Press) by Joy K. Lintelman
- Journeywell: A Guide to Quality Aging (Beaver’s Pond Press) by Trish Herbert
- Richard Parkes Bonington: The Complete Paintings (Yale University Press) by Patrick Noon
Genre Fiction, sponsored by Wellington Management, Inc.:
- Frag Box (Poisoned Pen Press) by Richard A. Thompson
- Jelly’s Gold (Minotaur Books/St. Martin’s Press) by David Housewright
- Rough Country (G. P. Putnam’s Sons/Penguin Group) by John Sandford
- The Silent Governess (Bethany House Publishers/Baker Publishing Group) by Julie Klassen
Memoir & Creative Nonfiction:
- The Bullhead Queen: A Year on Pioneer Lake (University of Minnesota Press) by Sue Leaf
- Going Blind: A Memoir (excelsior editions/State University of New York Press) by Mara Faulkner, OSB
- Kevin Kling's Holiday Inn (Borealis Books/Minnesota Historical Society Press) by Kevin Kling
- The Wolf at Twilight: An Indian Elder’s Journey through a Land of Ghosts and Shadows (New World Library) by Kent Nerburn
Minnesota, sponsored by Xcel Energy:
- Honor Bright: A Century of Scouting in Northern Star Council (Northern Star Council, Boy Scouts of America) by Dave Kenney
- Jewel of Como: The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory (Afton Historical Society Press) by Leigh Roethke and Bonnie Blodgett
- Minneapolis in the Twentieth Century: The Growth of an American City (Minnesota Historical Society Press) by Iric Nathanson
- Opening Goliath: Danger and Discovery in Caving (Borealis Books/Minnesota Historical Society Press) by Cary J. Griffith
Novel & Short Story:
- The Annunciations of Hank Meyerson, Mama’s Boy and Scholar (Hooded Friar Press) by Scott Muskin
- The Book of Night Women (Riverhead Books/Penguin Group) by Marlon James
- A Travel Guide for Reckless Hearts (Borealis Books/Minnesota Historical Society Press) by N. M. Kelby
- The Turtle Catcher (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) by Nicole Helget
Poetry:
- Faith Run (The University of Arizona Press) by Ray Gonzalez
- I Wish I Had a Heart Like Yours, Walt Whitman (University of Notre Dame Press) by Jude Nutter
- Skirmish (Graywolf Press) by Dobby Gibson
- Unrest (Graywolf Press) by Joanna Rawson
Young People’s Literature, sponsored by 3M Company:
- Crows & Cards (Houghton Mifflin/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)by Joseph Helgerson
- Lucy Long Ago: Uncovering the Mystery of Where We Came From (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) by Catherine Thimmesh
- The Magician’s Elephant (Candlewick Press) by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Yoko Tanaka
- The Sky Always Hears Me and The Hills Don’t Mind (Flux/Llewellyn Publications) by Kirstin Cronn-Mills
Award winners will be announced at the 22nd Annual Minnesota Book Awards Gala on Saturday, April 17, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, in downtown Saint Paul. The opening reception begins at 6:30 p.m., followed by the awards ceremony at 8 p.m. Tickets are $40 and are available by visiting www.thefriends.org or calling 651-222-3242.
All Minnesotans are invited to take part in voting for the Readers’ Choice Award. During the month of March, readers can visit TwinCities.com to choose one of the Minnesota Book Award finalists from all eight categories. The finalist with the most votes will be awarded the Readers’ Choice Award at the Gala. The award is sponsored by the Pioneer Press and TwinCities.com.
Two special awards for contributions to the literary and artistic community in Minnesota will be given on April 17, as well. Wilber H. “Chip” Schilling is the recipient of the third annual Book Artist Award, presented with Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA). Schilling is the owner of Indulgence Press, which specializes in hand-bound, letterpress printed fine press books, artist books, and limited edition fine art prints. He has lectured at many universities, juried for several arts organizations, and currently teaches workshops at MCBA. A reception featuring Schilling’s work will be held on Friday, February 26, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at MCBA, in the Open Book Literary Arts Center. The Kay Sexton Award, sponsored by Common Good Books, honors a lifetime contribution to the literary community, and will be announced later in February.
The Minnesota Book Awards is a project of The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, in consortium with the Saint Paul Public Library and the City of Saint Paul. Outreach partners and supporting organizations include: Beaver’s Pond Press; Lerner Publishing; MELSA; Minnesota Center for Book Arts; Minnesota Crime Wave; Minnesota Department of Education—State Library Services; Minnesota Educational Media Organization; Minnesota Library Association; and Library Networks for Literature—a project of the Public Programs Office of the American Library Association. Media sponsors include Pioneer Press, MinnPost.com, Saint Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN), and TPT-Minnesota Channel. Generous support has been provided by the F.R. Bigelow Foundation, The Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts, The Huss Foundation, The Katherine B. Andersen Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation, a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, and The Saint Paul Foundation.
Contact:
Ann Nelson, Minnesota Book Awards Coordinator
The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library
651-366-6497, mnbookawards@thefriends.org
Minnesota Book Awards Announces 2010 Book Artist Award Winner
January 21, 2010, SAINT PAUL, MN – The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library is pleased to announce Wilber H. “Chip” Schilling as the winner of the 2010 Book Artist Award, an annual award of the Minnesota Book Awards. This award, co-sponsored by the Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA), recognizes a Minnesota book artist or book artist collaborative group for excellence throughout a body of work, as well as significant contributions to Minnesota’s book arts community.
“Experimentation is key to my work,” says Schilling, “and I’m always learning - embracing new technology while continuing to master the traditional book arts. Because of this, my work is varied, reflecting the never ending possibilities that book arts provide for artistic expression. I try to make all aspects of the books I create integral to the whole. For me, this is the essence of book arts. I open myself to the relationship that develops between the content and the structure of the book. I use the structural form of the book (the design, materials, printing, and binding) to bring the content (the essence and the “feel” of images, a story, or text) to life.”
Schilling is the owner of Indulgence Press, which specializes in hand-bound, letterpress printed fine press books, artist books, and limited edition fine art prints. He has lectured at many universities, juried for several arts organizations, and currently teaches workshops at MCBA.
An exhibit celebrating Schilling’s work runs January 30 through March 21, 2010 in the second floor literary commons of the Open Book building, 1011 Washington Avenue South in Minneapolis. A reception showcasing the exhibit takes place Friday, February 26 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at MCBA, with a brief program and presentation at 6:30 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public, and features live music by Sally’s Flag Empire, hors d’oeuvres, and wine. Exhibits of Schilling’s work will also be featured at other venues throughout the state this year, including Saint Paul’s Central Library beginning in late March through April.
Schilling will receive special recognition and an award at the 22nd annual Minnesota Book Awards gala on April 17, 2010 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel – Saint Paul Riverfront. Awards will also be presented that evening to the winners of the eight book categories (Children’s Literature, General Nonfiction, Genre Fiction, Memoir & Creative Nonfiction, Minnesota, Novel & Short Story, Poetry, and Young People’s Literature) and the winners of The Readers’ Choice Award, sponsored by the Pioneer Press and TwinCities.com, and the Kay Sexton Award, sponsored by Common Good Books, recognizing an individual for significant contributions to Minnesota’s literary community. Gala tickets are on sale now at The Friends of the Saint Paul Library website.
The Minnesota Book Awards is a statewide, year-round outreach program of The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library in partnership with the City of Saint Paul and the Saint Paul Public Library. Please visit our website or call 651-366-6497 for more information about the Minnesota Book Awards. Visit www.mnbookarts.org or call 612-215-2527 for more information about Minnesota Center for Book Arts.
Photographer Clyde Butcher Brings ‘America the Beautiful’ to St. Paul
St. Paul libraries host large-scale exhibit and rare appearance by legendary photographer
SAINT PAUL, Minn. (Jan. 18, 2010) – Acclaimed American landscape photographer Clyde Butcher – known as the “Ansel Adams of the Everglades” – will bring a major collection of his iconic black-and-white images to the James J. Hill Reference Library and Saint Paul Public Library this month for a limited engagement.
“America the Beautiful: The Monumental Landscape of Clyde Butcher” is a collection of 50 large-scale photographs that capture the pristine beauty of places ranging from the South Dakota Badlands to the beaches of Hawaii. The exhibit will be open to the public inside the James J. Hill Reference Library and Saint Paul Central Library from Jan. 28 through April 15.
Butcher will help celebrate the opening on Jan. 28 by delivering a free public presentation at 7:30 p.m. at the James J. Hill Reference Library. The library is located at 80 W. Fourth St., St. Paul, MN, 55102.
“This is a rare opportunity for Minnesotans to see the work of this legendary artist,” said Kit Hadley, Director, Saint Paul Public Library. “Clyde Butcher has dedicated his life and his talent to preserving the diverse majesty of America’s landscapes.”
Butcher – a Missouri native who today lives deep in Florida’s swampy outback – has exhibited his photographs around the world, and won accolades ranging from the Sierra Club’s “Ansel Adams Award,” to the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the North American Nature Photography Association.
Mostly shot in untarnished locations across the United States, Butcher’s photographs are recognizable by their clarity and immense size – up to 5 feet tall and 9 feet wide.
To complement Butcher’s exhibit, the Saint Paul Public Library and James J. Hill Reference Library will host Polar Explorer and Minnesota native Ann Bancroft on Tuesday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m. for a special presentation on her expeditions and upcoming projects. Other special programs in conjunction with the exhibit also are being planned and will be announced later.
The exhibit and associated programming is made possible in part by the Arts and Culture Heritage Fund, which was voter approved in 2008 and began distributing funds in 2009. The Heritage Fund has been dedicated to supporting Minnesota programs that aim to preserve arts and culture in the state.
Saint Paul Public Library to Launch Mobile Workplace Computer Lab with Knight Foundation Grant
Project will allow the library to increase computer training and job search assistance, particularly for people who speak English as a second language.
December 21, 2009, SAINT PAUL, MN – The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library and the Saint Paul Public Library will launch a Mobile Workplace project with a $300,000 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The project features two components. First, the library will launch a mobile service delivery van, complete with 10 laptop computers loaded with teaching and testing software. The Mobile Workplace will regularly visit at least nine community partner locations where library staff will offer job search assistance and computer training. The second component is the participation of multilingual cultural liaisons who will ensure that services are offered in high-priority languages, including Spanish, Hmong and Somali, with outreach to specific cultural communities.
“Libraries are the greatest providers of free Internet – offering residents access to the critical skills and information they need to find jobs in the 21st century workforce” said Polly Talen, program director for Knight Foundation. “Through this initiative, we hope to augment the library’s role as a vital community center while helping to create informed and well-prepared communities.”
“Through the past few years, Saint Paul’s libraries have developed into education and workforce development centers serving children and residents,” Mayor Chris Coleman said. “In the new economy, lack of access to computer resources and broadband divides communities, neighborhoods, and schools. Our libraries are filling that void, and thanks to partners like the Knight Foundation, we can bring the resources to our residents to ensure they are not left behind in this fast changing world.”
The $300,000 grant is part of a $5.5 million Knight Foundation initiative benefiting library users in 20 communities across the United States. The effort reinforces the sweeping recommendations by the Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy, a project of the Aspen Institute. In a report issued earlier this year, the Commission asserts that democracy in America is threatened by the lack of equal access to quality information. Funding public libraries, as centers of digital and media training, is one key to filling the gaps, the commission says. Its report is available at www.knightcomm.org.
With the Mobile Workplace Project, the Saint Paul Public Library hopes to significantly increase its technology training and job search classes, perhaps doubling the 420 technology programs offered in 2008. Unlike branch libraries, the Mobile Workplace will focus exclusively on training and classes.
In the past year, the Library conducted four surveys of staff assistance to people requesting help with job- and business-related matters. It found that, on average, staff has 700 one-on-one interactions per week relating to jobs, careers and small business. These requests have increased by 34 percent over the prior year. The Mobile Workplace Project will increase the Library’s ability to respond to these requests and reach people who may not be aware of all the resources the Library has to offer due to common language barriers facing new Americans.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation advances journalism in the digital age and invests in the vitality of communities where the Knight brothers owned newspapers. Knight Foundation focuses on projects that promote community engagement and lead to transformational change. For more, visit www.knightfoundation.org.
Saint Paul Public and James J. Hill Reference Libraries to present acclaimed American photgraphy exhibit
December 15, 2009, SAINT PAUL, MN - In a pioneering project among neighbors, The Saint Paul Public Library and James J. Hill Reference Library, with the Metropolitan Library Services Agency (MELSA) and The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, present the extraordinary black and white photographs of the acclaimed photographer Clyde Butcher for an exhibit in both libraries - America the Beautiful: The Monumental Landscape of Clyde Butcher, organized by Exhibits Development Group (EDG). The exhibit opens January 28, 2010.
Clyde Butcher's photographs celebrate the beauty of the American landscape. Their monumental scale and extraordinary clarity set them apart as exceptional works of art. Butcher composes his works at pristine and untarnished locations across the United States, creating arresting compositions that distinctly mark him as the foremost landscape photographer in America today.
America the Beautiful will consist of 50 large-scale black and white photographs of the American landscape, spanning beautiful sites across the United States, from the coast of Maine, to the Badlands, to Hawaii. The beauty of Butcher's photographs is further emphasized by the epic size of his works. The exceptional size of his compositions - the largest being 5 by 9 feet - allows viewers to experience the beauty of the site from an almost first-hand perspective. The photographs in this exhibition majestically capture the great public lands of the United States which Butcher, an avid conservationist, aims to preserve through his art.
The exhibition will open at the James J. Hill and St. Paul Central Libraries, downtown Saint Paul, on January 28, 2010 and run through April15, 2010. For details about the exhibit hours and related programming around the Twin Cities metropolitan area, click here.
The exhibit and associated programming is funded in part with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage.
America the Beautiful: The Monumental Landscape of Clyde Butcher was organized by the Muscarelle Museum of Art at the College of William & Mary. For more images, see www.clydebutcher.com.
GIVE TO THE MAX DAY WAS A SUCCESS... THANK YOU!
The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library was one of over 3,000 nonprofit organizations and projects who participated in GiveMN.org’s Give to the Max Day on November 17. Thanks to everyone who made this day a success – The Friends raised nearly $18,000.00 on Give to the Max Day.
Total Number of Donations: 143
Total of Donations: $17,981.00
Average Donation: $126.63
This success is a great start to our year-end fundraising efforts. But we have not yet crossed the finish line. The Friends’ goal is to raise $150,000 during the year-end campaign which provides much-needed annual support for Friends and Library programs.
Your generous gifts enable The Friends to provide the Library with funds needed for after-school programs and homework assistance for thousands of children and teens. The Friends continues strong annual support of the Summer Reading Program, children’s events, adult cultural programs, and the purchase of thousands of books. Your donations allow the Library to offer computers and the Internet to patrons who would not otherwise have access. No matter what happens to the economy in the short run, the Library’s long term needs remain and must be met, as its use continues to increase significantly in these difficult economic times.
In these trying times, it is all about continuing—and even increasing—your support for the Library, an essential institution in the city of Saint Paul. Your contribution will help us maintain a world-class Library system and ensure a place that serves everyone. Thanks for your support!
GIVEMN.ORG LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE WEBSITE THAT WILL LET YOU CLICK, CONTRIBUTE AND CHANGE YOUR WORLD
Minnesota nonprofits and donors connected through new, easy-to-use web site, GiveMN.org - a one-stop online giving platform
Oct. 19, 2009 – Minnesota nonprofits and the individuals who want to support them will find the donation process easier and more convenient with the launch of GiveMN.org this November. GiveMN, the first-of-its-kind online giving portal, will provide donors with information about organizations that match their philanthropic goals, and will allow users to easily keep track of their donations in a single online location.
GiveMN is the first giving-site focused specifically on nonprofits in a single state, though users will also
be able to access all registered United States 501 (c) (3) organizations. Donors can go to GiveMN anytime
to support their favorite causes. They can also manage their charitable giving there by recording online
and offline contributions and storing receipts.
The Minnesota Community Foundation and other key nonprofit leaders in Minnesota created GiveMN to take advantage of the many benefits offered by online giving for both donors and nonprofits. While the median nonprofit raises less than 1 percent of its funds online today, e-philanthropy is far less expensive for nonprofits than traditional fundraising methods, such as direct mail or grant writing. “Minnesotans have long led the nation in charitable giving and civic innovation, but we aren’t fulfilling the great potential of online philanthropy,” said Dana Nelson, executive director of GiveMN. “We believe GiveMN will help advance charitable giving in the Internet age. It will offer people a one-stop shop to explore and support their favorite causes.”
Through GiveMN, Minnesota nonprofits can showcase their work and introduce their organizations to potential donors. Customized profiles of Minnesota charities will detail their individual missions, programs and events. Nonprofits will also receive tools and tips for making the most of the site prior to the launch.
In addition, GiveMN will sponsor promotions throughout the year designed to appeal to different types of
givers, create new incentives for giving and engage the broadest possible number of Minnesotans. For
example, matching promotions will give donors the opportunity to have their gifts to Minnesota charities
matched through GiveMN. The first “Give to the Max Day” is scheduled for mid-November. Details
about the first matching promotion are forthcoming.
The opportunity to create a much more efficient and highly interactive Minnesota giving community is incredibly exciting,” said Mary Brainerd, CEO of HealthPartners and board member of GiveMN. “We believe that GiveMN will allow Minnesota to lead in creating the next generation of online giving.” GiveMN is partnering with Razoo.com, the leading consumer giving platform in the country, to create an engaging destination for donors to connect with nonprofits.
About GiveMN
GiveMN is an innovative online resource that will change the way Minnesotans give, and help create a
stronger nonprofit community for Minnesota. GiveMN is an independent 501(c)(3) organization that is
a supporting organization of the Minnesota Community Foundation. Many partners shaped GiveMN to
build upon Minnesota’s strong tradition of philanthropy, including: Blandin Foundation, Briggs& Morgan, Central Minnesota Community Foundation, Ecolab Foundation, F.R. Bigelow Foundation,
Greater Twin Cities United Way, HealthPartners, Initiative Foundation, The Minneapolis Foundation,
Northland Foundation, Northwest Minnesota Foundation, The Saint Paul Foundation, Southern
Initiative Foundation, Southwest Initiative Foundation, West Central Initiative Foundation and
Women’s Foundation of Minnesota. For more information, go to www.GiveMN.org.
Michael Connelly Discusses ‘9 Dragons’ at Opus & Olives
By Mary Ann Grossmann, Pioneer Press,10/18/2009 - Michael Connelly spent years introducing new nuances to the character of Los Angeles detective Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch, star of Connelly’s award-winning series that began in 1992 with The Black Echo.
In Connelly’s 15th Bosch novel, 9 Dragons, he gives his millions of readers a new perspective on the tough-minded detective’s mind and heart. Bosch finds he’s vulnerable when his daughter Madeline, whom he first met in “Lost Light” (2003), is kidnapped in Hong Kong.
“This is a pivotal story in Harry Bosch’s journey and his most personal one,” Connelly said in a phone interview from his home in Tampa, Fla. “Bosch’s history adds up to alienation,” the 53-year-old author says. “He does have an edge. But he’s had a tough life, moving from one cold, flawed institution to another — orphanages, military, police. He’s an insider because he carries a badge, but he feels like an outsider. Before he became a father, he was skilled enough to go into the abyss and seek out human evil. Nobody could get to him. He lived alone, had no friends, didn’t even know his neighbors. When he locked eyes with his daughter, Harry suddenly knew he could be gotten to. This book is the one where that happens.”
Although Bosch met his daughter for the first time several books ago, Connelly says he wasn’t ready to write about their relationship until the girl matured. It helped that Connelly has a 13-year-old daughter, whose experiences helped him write about a girl that age.
Connelly will be one of the guest authors at The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library’s Opus & Olives fundraiser. Nobody’s more excited about his appearance than Sue Hall, coordinator of the annual event.
“We’ve chased Connelly for four years. We were relentless with his publicist, and we’re feeling pretty cool that he’s finally coming,” Hall said. “What I love about his writing is that it covers a broad range of big topics, from newspapers to law and computers.”
Connelly thinks Bosch shares some traits with Lucas Davenport, protagonist of Minnesotan John Sandford’s bestsellers. “Harry is a little more rough and loose with the rules than Davenport, but I view them as part of the same archetype,” Connelly says. “The key is their relentlessness. That’s also one of the things that draws readers to these kinds of characters, this idea the hero will die trying.”
Connelly, who grew up in Florida, worked at the marina where the late crime writer John D. MacDonald’s hero, Travis McGee, kept his boat Busted Flush. After graduating from the University of Florida and working as a crime reporter at several Florida newspapers, Connelly moved to Los Angeles, where his literary hero, Raymond Chandler, set his novels. Connelly says his experiences as a journalist, including covering crime for the Los Angeles Times, developed the skills he uses in writing fiction. “Reporters listen for the telling detail when they’re talking to people,” Connelly says. “It serves the reader when I write in a journalistic way — to the point, with dialogue that reveals the character but also carries the story forward and builds momentum.”
Although Connelly no longer lives in Los Angeles, he returns at least 10 times a year with camera and notebook to soak up the atmosphere that infuses the Bosch books and makes the city almost another character.
“When I moved away from Los Angeles, my highest priority was to not make it apparent I don’t live there anymore,” he admits. “So I redoubled my research methods, spending more time in places I’m writing about. I think my books are better now than when I lived there.”
Opus & Olives: 6 p.m. Sunday, October 25, 2009, Crowne Plaza Hotel, St. Paul Riverfront, with authors Jeffrey Toobin (‘The Nine’), Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton (‘Picking Cotton: Our Memoir of Injustice and Redemption’) and Julia Glass (‘I See You Everywhere’); emcee Mike Walsh (‘Bowling Across America’); tickets at $125 per person are limited. Call The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, 651-222-3242 or thefriends.org.
THE FRIENDS OF THE SAINT PAUL PUBLIC LIBRARY ANNOUNCES 2010 ADVOCACY PLATFORM
The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library asks the City to reconfirm its commitment to the Library by restoring cuts to the library’s hours, ensuring access to its critically important resources for all residents.
October 8, 2009, SAINT PAUL, MN – The Advocacy Committee of The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library has outlined its position platform for the 2010 Saint Paul Public Library budget. Each year, The Friends calls on City of Saint Paul elected officials to address critical needs at the Library. The message this year was simple: The Library provides some of our community’s greatest resources, but access to those resources is critically important. Restoring the cuts in hours proposed for 2010 is our highest priority in this budget cycle.
When the going gets tough, the tough get going… to the Library!
When the going gets tough, the average family’s solution is to get creative. In rethinking their budgets during this difficult economic period, many in Saint Paul are returning to a familiar place: their neighborhood public library — a center of culture, community and learning, and a gateway to the technology and digital literacy required for success in the 21st century workplace.
The City of Saint Paul is known for its strong library system. Our libraries are no longer simply in the “book” business. They are in the business of learning and development, aligning their resources with the needs of the community. They have the tools to help people acquire essential workforce technology skills and apply for jobs, prepare their children to learn, and support youth in school success — with well-trained staff to assist.
The return on public investment in our libraries can be measured in higher circulation, more relevant materials, better outreach, expanded access, passionate and qualified staff, more computers and increased bandwidth — all of which, in turn, translate to more educated workers, increased community prosperity, more engaged and safer neighborhoods, and a more successful society.
On the Right Track
The Friends applauds the Mayor’s commitment to closing no libraries. We also support his intention to use the remaining $8 million in Invest Saint Paul funds to leverage other resources and create a new joint-use library and recreation center near Payne and Maryland, replacing the old Arlington Hills Branch Library and Arlington Recreation Center. This innovative facility will be good for the entire community when complete, but will also create new jobs for those who build it. The planned renovations that will follow at Highland Park and Sun Ray are equally visionary, and all contain good long-term strategies for saving money for the City.
An Economy in Flux
The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library understands the necessity of budget cuts, but hopes that between now and December, as economic forecasts are updated and if more Federal stimulus funds become available, additional money may be found. If so, we request that the City Council and Mayor use some of that money to restore the cuts in hours.
The Library is Our Future
The City should consider an increase in the Library levy in 2011 if further reductions are anticipated. We can also ensure the Library’s strong financial future through the sale of library buildings and land. The Friends urges the City to have the proceeds from the sale of the Lexington Branch and Arlington Hills Branch added to the Library Agency’s fund balance.
Recognizing that our Library is a transformational force in the lives of everyone in Saint Paul — helping people find jobs, enhancing financial literacy for homeowners and small business owners, supporting education, providing access to information and telecommunications services, promoting early literacy and connecting communities — should make keeping access to those resources a priority for the future health of our great city.
For additional information on The Friends’ advocacy platform, please contact Peter Pearson at 651-222-3242 or by email: peterp@thefriends.org.
Click here to see The Friends' 2010 Advocacy position paper.
SAINT PAUL LIBRARY FRIENDS EXHALE
After warnings of a 14% cut to the Library’s budget were minimized to the currently-proposed 9%, The Friends breathe a cautious sigh of relief over efforts by Mayor to keep libraries strong, while acknowledging there is still work to be done.
August 19, 2009, SAINT PAUL, MN – Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman presented his proposed 2010 Library budget today in the historic Central Library Magazine Room to a crowd of several dozen officials and guests. Announced spending cuts would equal approximately nine percent of the total budget. The cuts are lower than the total fourteen percent directed to department heads by the Mayor last spring, when the State cut Local Government Aid (LGA) and the Governor promised to make additional unallotments following the legislative session. The most salient details in the budget include cuts of 15 percent to collections, a reduction of 50 hours per week system-wide, and the loss of 24.8 full-time staff positions.
Friends President, Peter Pearson was relieved to hear about reduced cuts in the proposed budget. “While The Friends were never in favor of any cuts to the Library’s budget, given the current fiscal constraints it’s obvious that the Mayor is trying to keep libraries strong and accessible to the residents of Saint Paul,” he said, also noting, “The Friends, as always, stands ready to raise private funds for library enhancements while the City provides stable public funds to keep the public library a vital citywide resource.”
The Mayor used the event to announce his firm commitment to keep the Hamline-Midway library open – a move that brought applause from community supporters who have fought to save the small but busy branch library from last year’s proposed closure. In addition, he spoke of his intent to use the remaining $8 million in Invest Saint Paul funds to leverage community resources and create a new joint-use library and recreation center facility, replacing the old Arlington Hills Library and Arlington Rec Center.
Recognizing that our library is a transformational force in the lives of everyone in Saint Paul — helping people find jobs, enhancing financial literacy for homeowners and small business owners, supporting education, providing access to information and telecommunications services, promoting early literacy and connecting communities — Mayor Coleman spoke of the need to arrest the fall in the City’s ability to provide services. “During these times we have to invest in those things we can do in common that families who are hurting and struggling can’t do alone. Today we reconfirm our commitment to Libraries.”
City Councilmember and Library Board Chair Pat Harris thanked The Friends for their strong advocacy and partnership in making the Saint Paul Public Library the important community resource it is. The Friends’ Advocacy Committee hopes that, as economic forecasts are updated and if more Federal stimulus funds become available, additional money may be found. If so, they will work to influence the City Council and Mayor to use some of that money to restore the cuts in hours. “We want to work with all the elected officials as they grapple with ongoing budget issues and negotiations so that we can continue to be partners in preserving quality library services in Saint Paul,” Pearson confirmed. “The Library provides some of our community’s greatest resources, and access to those resources is critically important.”
The presentation was very encouraging to those in attendance who see the increased need for Library services in a quickly evolving multicultural community. “In a nation and a city with growing numbers of people from other lands, it’s more important than ever that opportunities for increased literacy are available to all,” said Friends Board Chair and former Saint Paul Mayor, George Latimer.
For additional information on the proposed 2010 library budget, its ramifications for the Saint Paul Public Library or The Friends’ response, please contact Peter D. Pearson, Friends President, at 651-222-3242.
“PRIZED WRITERS: PLOTTING MYSTERIES” TELEVISION PREMIERE
September 20, 1 p.m. on TPT Life Channel
Comcast Mpls: Ch. 202 / Comcast St. Paul: Ch. 17 / Over the air: #2-2
For more information, call 651-222-3242 or friends@thefriends.org
Sept 2, 2009, SAINT PAUL, MN – The Minnesota Book Awards, coordinated by The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, presents a co-production with Twin Cities Public Television’s Minnesota Channel: “Prized Writers: Plotting Mysteries,” the first of a new series featuring Minnesota Book Award winners in conversation.
In a lively and open exchange, William Kent Krueger (Thunder Bay) trades writing secrets and tips with P.J. and Traci Lambrecht, the hilarious mother/daughter duo who make up the award winning team P.J. Tracy (Monkeewrench). “Prized Writers: Plotting Mysteries” premieres statewide on Sunday, September 13 at 9 p.m. on TPT-MN, preceded by a rebroadcast of the 21st Annual Minnesota Book Awards Gala, held on Saturday, April 25, 2009. Minnesota’s best book party is filled with the state’s leading writers, coming together for a unique evening of celebration. Please check local listings for the channel location for both programs.
Look for the second installment of the series: “Prized Writers: Children’s Tales” with Book Award winners Alison McGhee and David LaRochelle, coming in Spring 2010.
MAYOR COLEMAN NAMES KATHERINE "KIT" HADLEY AS CITY'S NEW LIBRARY DIRECTOR
July 3, 2009 Saint Paul, Minn. -- Mayor Chris Coleman today named Katherine “Kit” Hadley as director of Saint Paul Public Library.
Hadley, who will be replacing Melanie Huggins, is the former director of the Minneapolis Public Library and most recently has been the executive director of Heading Home Minnesota, a statewide initiative to end homelessness and an umbrella organization for 12 state, regional, and county/city initiatives.
“Kit brings a wealth of experience in library management, capital fundraising, and community leadership to this important position,” Mayor Coleman said. “As a Saint Paul resident, she understands the needs and vision for our families and communities and the significant roles our libraries play in the city – from education to workforce development. She is no stranger to the economic climate and state cuts that are challenging our libraries. Kit’s talents and experience will help us overcome those challenges.”
Hadley directed the Minneapolis Public Library from 2003 to 2007, taking over a system when the state enacted cuts to local government aid (LGA) that significantly impacted the library system. In response to the cuts, she worked with the Library Board to create a strategic plan to guide budget discussions, helped strengthen a capital campaign, and worked with a business advisory group to evaluate options for continued construction of the new Central Library.
“The Saint Paul Public Library is so fortunate to have Kit Hadley for its next leader,” said Peter Pearson, president of the Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library. “As the director of the Minneapolis Public Library, Kit stepped into a very difficult fiscal situation. Not only did she craft a brilliant plan for the Minneapolis Public Library, but she had the universal respect of everyone with whom she worked in making some very painful decisions. Her fiscal skills, her interpersonal skills and her visionary leadership are exactly what the Saint Paul Public Library needs at this time. The Friends looks forward to developing a strong and effective partnership with Kit.”
Before directing the Minneapolis Public Library, Hadley was commissioner of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, a position to which she was appointed by two different governors. At MHFA, she also served as deputy commissioner and director of government affairs. She began her career as a staff attorney, first with Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services and then with the Legal Services Advocacy Project. She earned her law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School and has a bachelor of arts in urban studies from Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass.
“Kit will be a great asset for the library,” said Councilmember Pat Harris, chair of the board of directors for the library agency. “She has the tools Saint Paul needs to provide a top quality library system for our community.”
“The Saint Paul Public Library plays such a vital role in the lives of our children and families. I am excited to join the staff in the library and return to an institution whose mission and purpose I believe in so strongly,” Hadley said. “Our libraries face significant challenges, but Mayor Coleman’s strong commitment and vision for the Saint Paul Public Library will allow us to overcome those challenges and continue creating a strong system befitting of the most livable city in America.”
Hadley will start her duties August 3.
MINNESOTA LIBRARIES GAIN $4.25 MILLION FOR ARTS AND CULTURAL PROGRAMS
Legislative allocation should triple the amount of programming at libraries
by Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 5/21/2009
- "Incredible win for libraries," says St. Paul Friends head
- Sum is about ten percent of new arts funding
- Regional library systems will distribute funds
Thanks to some savvy lobbying and enlightened legislators, public libraries in Minnesota will get $4.25 million for arts and cultural programs in the next fiscal year, which starts July 1, as well as the fiscal year after that. The sum, which an advocate said should at least triple such programming, represents nearly ten percent of the $44.5 million allocated in the first year by the legislature; nearly half of the total will go to the State Arts Board.
“It’s an incredible win for libraries,” Peter Pearson, president of The Friends of the St. Paul Public Library, told LJ, pointing out that, “in these difficult economic times, there’s no way funding for arts and culture [at libraries] will increase through local dollars.”
State arts boost
Last November, state voters approved a constitutional amendment in which an increase in the sales tax would be dedicated to the environment and the arts, for a total this year of some $230 million. While Pearson’s group typically lobbies on local issues, this year it also launched an advocacy committee for state and federal issues, involving several local community members.
“Here was an opportunity to have libraries become part of the definition of arts,” he said, noting that advocates stressed to legislators that libraries would be a vehicle to ensure that arts funding is spread out over the state, and that libraries are the only places that offer arts and culture programming for free.
Lobbying success
The advocates approached Rep. Mary Murphy (DFL- Duluth), a longtime library supporter, proposing that libraries be allocated $3 million statewide. Murphy upped the number to $5 million in her bill. The Senate, however, offered zero to libraries, maintaining a strict limit on who could provide arts and cultural programming.
On the morning of Monday, May 18, the day the legislature had to finish the budget, the Senate had budged to $750,000, while the House had the sum of $5 million. “Murphy stuck to her guns, and got the Senate to come up to $4.25 million,” Pearson said. (Here's the final version of the bill.)
The money will be distributed using existing formulas to the 12 Minnesota Regional Library Systems. No more than 2.5 percent of funds may be used for administration. According to the bill, the funds “may be used to sponsor programs provided by regional libraries, or to provide grants to local arts and cultural heritage programs for programs in partnership with regional libraries.”
The Minnesota Library Association (MLA), which typically develops a lobbying platform before the legislative session, did not include this idea in its platform, but once the St. Paul Friends group developed its recommendation, the MLA supported it, Pearson said.
21ST ANNUAL MINNESOTA BOOK AWARDS PRESENTED
April 25, 2009, SAINT PAUL, MN – The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library is pleased to announce the winners of the 21st annual Minnesota Book Awards. In addition to winners in eight categories, the Book Awards presented the Readers’ Choice Award, which was selected by over 2,000 voters from across Minnesota. The annual Minnesota Book Awards program is a project of The Friends, in consortium with the Saint Paul Public Library and the Mayor’s Office of the City of Saint Paul.
700 people attended a gala award ceremony on Saturday, April 25, hosted by Tom Crann of Minnesota Public Radio. Announced at the gala, the winners of the 2009 Minnesota Book Awards are:
Award for Children’s Literature, sponsored by MLBA Children’s Fund:
Susan Marie Swanson – The House in the Night – published by Houghton Mifflin Company
In this bedtime story, the rhythmic text and glowing pictures explore the origins of light that make a house a home. The book lifts up nighttime things that are both comforting and intriguing to young readers including a key, a bed, a book, a light, and the moon. Susan Marie Swanson, an award-winning author, has been teaching poetry writing to children for more than 20 years.
Award for General Nonfiction:
Catherine Friend – The Compassionate Carnivore: Or, How to Keep Animals Happy, Save Old MacDonald’s Farm, Reduce Your Hoofprint, and Still Eat Meat – published by Da Capo Press/Perseus Books
Once Catherine Friend and her partner bought a farm and started raising sheep, her attitude about eating meat began to change. The author’s farming and livestock journey offers critical and witty insight, for meat lovers and vegetarians alike, into how our meat is raised, where and from whom we buy it, and why a change in our meat choices is possible and desirable. Friend has written several books for both adults and children.
Award for Genre Fiction, sponsored by Wellington Management, Inc.:
Julie Kramer – Stalking Susan – published by Doubleday/The Doubleday Publishing Group
Twin Cities investigative television reporter, Riley Spartz, discovers that a serial killer is targeting women named Susan, and is killing one on the same day each year. In her attempt to crack the case, Spartz goes up against an uncooperative news director and a politician who fears a serial killer story will hurt Minneapolis’ convention business. Julie Kramer is a freelance television news producer for NBC.
Award for Memoir & Creative Nonfiction:
Kao Kalia Yang – The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir – published by Coffee House Press*
Born in a refugee camp in Thailand, Kao Kalia Yang immigrated to Saint Paul when she was six years old. This is the story of her family’s harrowing escape from Laos, their life in refugee camps, and the hardships and joys that came with carving out a life in America. Yang is the co-founder of Words Wanted, an agency dedicated to helping immigrants with writing, translating, and business services.
Award for Minnesota, sponsored by Xcel Energy:
Barbara W. Sommer – Hard Work and a Good Deal: The Civilian Conservation Corps in Minnesota – published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press*
The Civilian Conversation Corps, born out of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal at the height of the Great Depression, supplied jobs to more than 77,000 Minnesotans. Hundreds of interviews complement the author’s text in this account of the workers’ lasting legacy, visible today in Minnesota’s thriving forests, state parks, and soil conversation practices. Barbara Sommer is a founder of the Oral History Association of Minnesota.
Award for Novel & Short Story:
Louise Erdrich – The Plague of Doves – published by HarperCollins Publishers
The unsolved murder of a farm family haunts the small, white, off-reservation town of Pluto, North Dakota. Bound by love and torn by history, the collective stories of two communities come together in a wrenching truth that is revealed in the novel's final pages. Louise Erdrich is the author of novels, volumes of poetry, children’s books, and a memoir. She also owns the independent bookstore, Birchbark Books.
Award for Poetry:
Heid E. Erdrich – National Monuments – published by Michigan State University Press
The depths of national identities and the real people who live them are explored through these poems. There are arguments with historians, archeologists, William Carlos Williams, and the deeply rooted, conflicting myths of what being American is all about. Heid E. Erdrich, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibway, won a Minnesota Voices award for her first poetry collection, Fishing for Myth.
Award for Young People’s Literature, sponsored by Tarrant, Drummer & Liska, PLLC:
Brian Malloy – Twelve Long Months – published by Scholastic Press/Scholastic, Inc.
Molly Swain is hopelessly in love with Mark, the only thing she finds of interest in their small Minnesota town. She starts to wonder if she and Mark will ever be more than lab partners, and then she discovers they will both be moving to New York following high school graduation. In New York, however, Molly discovers that Mark’s been keeping a secret, and it turns out she’s not his type at all. This is Brian Malloy’s third novel.
The Readers’ Choice Award, sponsored by Pioneer Press and TwinCities.com:
Kao Kalia Yang – The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir – published by Coffee House Press*
*indicates a Minnesota-based publisher
At the Book Awards gala on April 25, Patrick Coleman received the previously announced Kay Sexton Award, for his lifelong contributions to Minnesota’s literary community. As Acquisitions Librarian at the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS), where he has worked for the last thirty years, Coleman identifies, selects, and procures books for the Library. He has developed the premiere collection of books and printed material about Minnesota available in the world, and through his work, the MHS Library is one of the preeminent research libraries in the region and nation. The Award is sponsored by Common Good Books.
Also presented was the second annual Book Artist Award, co-sponsored by Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA), with support from Barnes & Noble Booksellers. The award, presented to Paulette Myers-Rich, recognizes a Minnesota book artist for excellence throughout a body of work, as well as significant contributions to Minnesota’s book arts community. Myers-Rich’s work is currently being shown at St. Paul’s Central Library, 90 W. 4th St., through May 1.
Books written by a Minnesotan and first published in 2008 were eligible for the 21st annual Minnesota Book Awards. 319 books were nominated for awards this year, and 32 books were selected as finalists. The winners were chosen by panels of judges from the list of finalists. Nominations for next year’s Awards will open in early fall, 2009. For more information on the Book Awards process, and a complete list of finalists and winners since 1988, visit The Friends website, www.thefriends.org, and click on the Minnesota Book Awards icon.
The Book Awards gala will be broadcast on Saint Paul Neighborhood Network and TPT-MN Channel at a later date. Check your local listings for the channel, date and time of broadcast.
The 21st annual Minnesota Book Awards is a Capital City project, led by The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, with the Saint Paul Public Library and the Office of the Mayor of Saint Paul. Statewide outreach partners include: the Loft Literary Center, Metropolitan Library Service Agency (MELSA); Minnesota Department of Education—State Library Services; Minnesota Educational Media Organization; Minnesota Library Association; Minnesota Library Foundation; and Library Networks for Literature—a project of the Public Programs Office of the American Library Association. Media sponsors include: Minnesota Public Radio, Pioneer Press, Saint Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN), Secrets of the City, Swank Audio Visual and TPT-Minnesota Channel. Major funding for the Book Awards was provided by The Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts; The Huss Foundation; The Katherine B. Andersen Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation; a Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Office of State Library Services; MLBA Children’s Fund; Tarrant, Drummer & Liska, PLLC; Wellington Management, Inc.; and Xcel Energy.
SAINT PAUL PUBLIC LIBRARY RECEIVES TOP HONORS
Saint Paul, Minn. (March 27, 2009) – The Saint Paul Public Library was recently recognized as a national and local leader in library services and public relations by the Library Journal, the Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA), and Minnesota Chapters of International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), and Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), resulting in six distinguished awards.
Library Journal ranked Saint Paul Public Library as one of the top library systems across the state and nation. The Library Journal announced in February that the Saint Paul Public Library received a four-star national rating, which distinguished the library as being within the top three percent of libraries across the United States.
In the Library Journal’s article "America's Star Libraries" by authors Keith Curry Lance and Ray Lyons explained that the rankings were based on per capita statistics, including circulation, library visits, program attendance and public internet computer uses. Library Journal rated 7,115 public libraries and Saint Paul Public Library was one of eight Minnesota library systems recognized.
For public relations efforts, the Saint Paul Public Library was recognized nationally for Saint Paul-itics, a campaign created by staff to help St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and the city prepare for the 2008 Republican National Convention. Saint Paul-itics was created by a library committee and carried out by all staff May through September 2008. Saint Paul-itics offered residents many opportunities to learn more about politics through a variety of performers, speakers, national experts and an outdoor movie series called Political Scenes.
The Saint Paul-itics campaign won five awards. The Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA) announced recently that the Saint Paul Public Library will be a recipient of the John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award, which is considered to be the most prestigious of all library awards in the field of public relations. Library staff will be recognized and presented a grant award of $5,000 during the American Library Association conference in July in Chicago, Ill.
The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) presented the Saint Paul Public Library two 2009 Bronze Quill awards February 24. Saint Paul-itics won an Award of Excellence for Special Events, and an Award of Merit for Multi-Audience Communication.
Lastly, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Minnesota chapter recognized the Saint Paul Public Library’s Saint Paul-itics campaign as one of the best public relations campaigns of 2008 during the 31st annual Minnesota PRSA Classics Awards held at the Minneapolis Marriott City Center, Thursday, March 26.
Saint Paul-itics won two Classic Awards for Community Relations: Government and Nonprofit and Marketing Services: New. Participants in the Minnesota chapter awards included large-scale public relations agencies, corporations, and non-profit organizations.
Contact: Sheree Savage, Saint Paul Public Library, 651-325-1662
SAINT PAUL-ITICS RECEIVES PRSA CLASSICS AWARDS
The Saint Paul Public Library and The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library were presented with two MN PRSA Classics Awards in recognition of Saint Paul-itics, a series of nearly 40 programs designed to inform, engage and involve the community in the democratic process. The awards, for Community Relations and Marketing New Services, were presented on March 26, 2009.
Sponsored by the Minnesota chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, the MN PRSA Classics Awards honor the best in the public relations field. “We have a talented pool of local professionals, and the bar set by our peers is extremely high.” said Jan Hennings, president of Minnesota PRSA. “This year’s winners really stand out for their exemplary professional skill, creativity and resourcefulness.”
Saint Paul-itics revolutionized the role of the Library in the community as it assisted the City in hosting the 2008 Republican National Convention. From May through September, 2008, residents were offered the opportunity to learn about politics through a variety of performers, speakers, national experts and an outdoor movie series. In addition,voter registration, blogging, and collections about the history of elections, and political involvement. The programs were presented at all branches, as well as sites of partner organizations.
Photo by Minnesota PRSA
SAINT PAUL-ITICS WINS 2009 BRONZE QUILL AWARDS FOR COMMUNICATIONS
February 24, 2009 The Saint Paul Public Library and The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library won the Bronze Quill Award of Excellence for “Communication Management/Special Events Internal or External,” and the Bronze Quill Award of Merit for “Communication Management/Multi-Audience Communication,” for the Saint Paul-itics program series, during the 2009 Bronze Quill Awards.
The Bronze Quill Awards program, sponsored by the Minnesota chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), honors local professionals for excellence in business communications.
“Congratulations to all the winners! A Bronze Quill award is a significant achievement,” said Julia Nelson, president of IABC Minnesota. “Entries are scored based on strategic thought, creative, well-executed work plans and meaningful measurement. This year’s recipients illustrated how important strategic communication is to the overall success of an organization, as well as the breadth of talent in this market.”
The Bronze Quills Awards program is an annual event that supports the professional development of communications professionals in their fields. This year, 105 entries were evaluated by judges from 10 IABC chapters, including Hawaii, Brazos Valley (Texas), Houston, San Antonio, Indianapolis, Atlanta, Kentucky, New Orleans, Harrisburg and Arkansas. Entrants were asked to follow comprehensive entry guidelines and were judged on a seven-point scale based on the entry’s comprehensive work plan and work sample.
The Minnesota Chapter of IABC brings together professionals who want to excel in the communications field. IABC Minnesota was named the 2008 International Chapter of the Year and Large Chapter of the Year by the International Association of Business Communicators, a professional network of more than 16,000 business communication professionals in more than 60 countries.
PATRICK COLEMAN NAMED 2009 KAY SEXTON AWARD RECIPIENT FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO MINNESOTA’S BOOK COMMUNITY
(February 27, 2009), SAINT PAUL, MN – Patrick Coleman, Acquisitions Librarian at the Minnesota Historical Society, will be honored with the Kay Sexton Award on April 25 at the 21st annual Minnesota Book Awards gala. The Sexton Award is presented annually to an individual in recognition of long-standing dedication and outstanding work in fostering books, reading, and literary activity in Minnesota. The award honors Kay Sexton, a book buyer for many years at Dayton's and B. Dalton Bookstores in the Twin Cities. She was the first recipient of the award in 1988. The Sexton Award is sponsored by Common Good Books.
As Acquisitions Librarian at the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS), where he has worked for the last thirty years, Coleman identifies, selects, and procures books for the Library. He is considered both a pioneer and classicist. Coleman has expanded the horizons of collecting, making the MHS Library’s collection a vital resource for all users: academics, family historians, students, businesses, and government. He has developed the premiere collection of books and printed material about Minnesota available in the world. Through his work, the MHS Library is one of the preeminent research libraries in the region and nation. Coleman collects the typical and necessary local histories along with the new examples of current literature, artist books, and amazing rare pamphlets and maps.
Through his deep working relationships with scholars, authors, publishers, donors, and book artists, Coleman continues to make huge contributions to the overall Minnesota book community. He works with dealers and booksellers to facilitate the acquiring of books. He has close relationships with public libraries, and has served on the University of Minnesota’s Friends of the Library Board. Coleman currently serves on the Coffee House Press board, served on the Minnesota Humanities Commission board, and is a long-time member of both the Ampersand Club and the Manuscript Society. He writes the 150 Best Minnesota Books Blog, originally begun in honor of the state’s sesquicentennial, highlighting books which are important to the intellectual life and identity of the state.
Minnesota Book Award-winning author Patricia Hampl says this of Coleman’s contributions to the state’s book community, “Pat is deeply committed to community service – so much so he doesn’t even call it that. He just has an instinct and manages to pull people together in the interest of books and reading.” Coleman believes in the strength of members of Minnesota’s book community functioning together and working toward one goal: promoting learning through the written word.
Patrick Coleman will receive the Kay Sexton Award at the 21st annual Minnesota Book Awards gala on April 25 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel – Saint Paul Riverfront. Awards will also be presented in eight book categories, as well as the Readers’ Choice Award sponsored by the Pioneer Press and TwinCities.com, and the Book Artist Award, co-sponsored by Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA), and presented this year to Paulette Myers-Rich.
Click for more information on the Minnesota Book Awards or to make a gala reservation, or call 651-366-6497.
MPR: LIBRARY USAGE INCREASES WITH THE RECESSION
by Tim Nelson, Minnesota Public Radio, St. Paul, Minn. —There's one place where business is booming right now despite the recession. It's your local public library. Minnesota's public libraries are busier than ever, as patrons cut back their spending and try to cope with the economic downturn. Library usage is on the rise. Wireless and public Internet access has risen by almost a quarter this year and circulation of books is up by 5 percent so far.
In Ramsey county's suburbs, patrons are signing up by the dozens for waiting lists on popular movies and music CDs. A rental program for best sellers and new releases has proven a solid financial success. Nearly a hundred people a day have been showing up for children's storytime at the library's seven branches.
... In St. Paul library services cost about $36 a year per resident. But in just the last three months, 7 percent more are walking through the doors. In just one week in October, more than 700 people asked library staff not for help finding a book, but for help finding or applying for a job. READ MORE...
THE MINNESOTA BOOK AWARDS ANNOUNCES 2009 BOOK ARTIST AWARD WINNER
January 27, 2009, SAINT PAUL, MN – The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library is pleased to announce Paulette Myers-Rich as the winner of the 2009 Book Artist Award, an annual award of the Minnesota Book Awards. This award, co-sponsored by the Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA), recognizes a Minnesota book artist or book artist collaborative group for excellence throughout a body of work, as well as significant contributions to Minnesota’s book arts community.
Myers-Rich works extensively with black and white photography, with artists’ books being her favored format as they allow the combination of image and text in conventional and non-traditional book forms. “Contemporary book arts has given rise to a variety of structures that both embrace tradition and break with it,” says Myers-Rich, “offering myriad forms and interesting challenges. Yet, regardless of the approach to artists’ books, for me, the practice of craft is important. The book must be a compelling and satisfying object or environment that activates content, a work that satisfies the hands, the eyes and the mind.” Myers-Rich won a Minnesota Book Award in 2000 for her fine press book Broder, an award she shared with poet Anna Reckin, and again in 2006 for Ghost Poems for the Living. She is an active member of several arts organizations, teaches at MCBA and several colleges and universities, and is a graduate program mentor at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.
An exhibit celebrating Myers-Rich’s work runs February 5 through March 15, 2009 at MCBA in the Open Book building, 1011 Washington Avenue South in Minneapolis. A reception showcasing the exhibit takes place Thursday, February 26 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at MCBA, with a brief program and presentation at 7:00 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public, and features live music by Gary Schulte and Reynold Philipsek. Exhibits of Myers-Rich’s work will also be featured at other venues throughout the state this year, including Saint Paul’s Central Library where her work will be displayed March 23 through April.
Myers-Rich will receive special recognition and an award at the 21st annual Minnesota Book Awards gala on April 25, 2009 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel – Saint Paul Riverfront. Awards will also be presented that evening to the winners of the eight book categories (Children’s Literature, General Nonfiction, Genre Fiction, Memoir & Creative Nonfiction, Minnesota, Novel & Short Story, Poetry, and Young People’s Literature) and the winners of The Readers’ Choice Award, sponsored by the Pioneer Press and TwinCities.com, and the Kay Sexton Award, recognizing an individual for significant contributions to Minnesota’s literary community. Gala tickets go on sale February 2, 2009.
The Minnesota Book Awards is a statewide, year-round outreach program of The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library in partnership with the Office of the Mayor of Saint Paul and the Saint Paul Public Library. Please visit www.thefriends.org or call 651/366-6497 for more information about the Minnesota Book Awards. Visit www.mnbookarts.org or call 612-215-2527 for more information about Minnesota Center for Book Arts.
back to the topTHE FRIENDS TO CREATE VIRTUAL MINNESOTA WRITERS HALL OF FAME
The Friends and the Minnesota Book Awards recently received a $5,000 grant from the Minnesota Sesquicentennial Commission to create an online Minnesota Writers Hall of Fame. The “virtual” Hall of Fame will initially have ten inductees, selected by the Minnesota Book Awards with input from librarians, booksellers, writers and scholars. Subsequent years may see up to 5 writers inducted.
Because of the legacy of great literature produced in Minnesota, we expect in the first few years to see many posthumous inductions into the Hall. Some names which have been suggested for consideration include F. Scott Fitzgerald, Maud Hart Lovelace, Sinclair Lewis, Gordon Parks, Charles M. Schultz, Wanda Gag, Jon Hassler, Carol Bly, and others. With all the exceptional Minnesota writers who have been part of our literary history, both living and deceased, there will be no problem finding worthy nominees who have had a huge impact locally, nationally, and even internationally. Watch The Friends’ website for news and updates as the project progresses. To join in the conversation, check out this post at Secrets of the City.
UPDATE: Minnesota Writers Hall of Fame website now live! Click here to explore and participate.
back to the topNEW NEA STUDY: MORE AMERICAN ADULTS READ LITERATURE
Literary reading on the rise for first time in history of Arts Endowment survey
January 12, 2009, Washington, D.C. — For the first time in more than 25 years, American adults are reading more literature, according to a new study by the National Endowment for the Arts. Released January 12, the report, Reading on the Rise: A New Chapter in American Literacy, found that for the first time since 1982 the percentage of adults 18 and older who said they had read at least one novel, short story, poem, or play in the previous 12 months has risen. Reading on the Rise documents a definitive increase in rates and numbers of American adults who read literature, with the biggest increases among young adults, ages 18-24. This new growth reverses two decades of downward trends cited previously in NEA reports such as Reading at Risk and To Read or Not To Read. The report is based on early results from the 2008 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts.
Jim Rettig, president of the American Library Association and university librarian at the University of Richmond, said that the 2008 data would not reflect a recent uptick in circulation at libraries. As the economy has soured, Mr. Rettig said, “people are discovering that you don’t have to spend anything to read a book if you have a library card.”
READ MORE:
Download the 16-page survey brochure (PDF)
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THE FRIENDS OF THE SAINT PAUL PUBLIC LIBRARY RECEIVES 2008 BEST OF ST. PAUL AWARD
U.S. Local Business Association’s Award Honors the Nonprofit’s Achievements
WASHINGTON D.C., November 14, 2008 – The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library has been selected for the 2008 Best of St. Paul Award in the Libraries category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA).
The USLBA “Best of Local Business” Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their community.
Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2008 USLBA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USLBA and data provided by third parties.
About U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA)
U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA) is a Washington D.C. based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The USLBA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.
CONTACT: U.S. Local Business Association, PublicRelations@USLBA.net http://www.USLBA.net
THE FRIENDS OF THE SAINT PAUL PUBLIC LIBRARY RECEIVES COVETED 4-STAR REVIEW FROM CHARITY NAVIGATOR
Less than a quarter of the charities evaluated have received this highest rating, indicating that The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library outperforms the majority of nonprofits in America with respect to fiscal responsibility.
December 5, 2007, SAINT PAUL, MN - As the nonprofit sector continues to grow at an unprecedented pace, savvy donors are demanding more accountability, transparency and quantifiable results from the charities they choose to support with their hard-earned dollars. In this competitive philanthropic marketplace, Charity Navigator, America's premier charity evaluator, highlights the work of efficient charities such as The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, and provides donors with essential information needed to give them greater confidence in the charitable choices they make.
Based on the most recent financial information available, Charity Navigator has calculated a 4-star rating for The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library for its ability to efficiently manage and grow its finances. Fewer than 25% of the charities evaluated receive this “exceptional” designation from Charity Navigator, a classification that differentiates The Friends from its peers, and demonstrates to the public it is worthy of their trust.
The New York Times, NPR and The Chronicle of Philanthropy, among others, have profiled and celebrated Charity Navigator’s unique method of applying data-driven analysis to the charitable sector. They evaluate ten times more charities than their nearest competitor, and attract more visitors to their website (www.charitynavigator.org) than all other charity rating groups combined, thereby making them the leading charity evaluator in America.
Founded in 2001, Charity Navigator’s professional analysts have examined tens of thousands of non-profit financial documents and have used this knowledge to develop an unbiased, objective, numbers-based rating system to assess the financial health of over 5,000 of America's best-known charities. Charity Navigator's rating system examines two broad areas of a charity's financial health -- how responsibly it functions day to day, as well as how well positioned it is to sustain its programs over time. Each charity is then awarded an overall rating, ranging from zero to four stars. Charity Navigator accepts no funding from the charities they evaluate, ensuring that ratings remain objective.
Last year, more than four million donors used the free site that TIME Magazine called “One of America's 50 Coolest Websites for 2006.” Additionally, the site is a two-time Forbes award winner for “Best of the Web,” and was chosen by PC World as “One of America’s Top Websites.” In 2007, BusinessWeek inducted Charity Navigator into its “Philanthropy Hall of Fame” for “revolutionizing the process of giving.” Charity Navigator was singled out by Kiplinger's Financial Magazine as “One of the Best Services to Make Life Easier,” and Esquire Magazine recently told its readers that using the service was one of “41 Ways to Save the World.”