What's a Faulkner, Mom?

The ninth annual Mississippi Book Festival is in the books! As always, the festival was filled with opportunities to discover new authors, learn about literature, and explore interesting books. Your Mississippi Library Commission offered a cool sanctuary for those who wanted to escape the heat outside; people who needed a break flocked to room 202 of the State Capitol for book swag, Mississippi author fortunes, brailling demonstrations, and our pop-up library. Several of MLC's staff were on hand to answer questions about libraries in Mississippi, and many of us chose to brave the 102 temperature to explore the greatest book festival in the U.S.A., Mississippi's Literary Lawn Party. Here are some of our staff's takeaways:

"I had a good time telling people about Talking Book Services! Some old friends stopped by the Pop-Up Library that I haven’t seen in a while; it was so good to catch up with them and spread the word about the library." Mary Rodgers Beal, Talking Book Services Director

"I moderated the In Short panel with three amazing writers of short fiction: Deesha Philyaw, Andrew Porter, and George Singleton. The whole panel was thoughtful and engaging, but George brought down the house several times. That guy is a hoot!" Tracy Carr, Deputy Director, Library Services

"I was pleasantly surprised to see the turnout considering how amazingly hot it was! I had a great time walking around, looking at all sorts of books to buy later, and running into fellow book lovers to chit-chat with." Katie Gill, Cataloging Librarian

"My highlight of the festival was seeing the iconic Lois Lowry talk about her books The Giver and Number the Stars. She had such a huge impact on me as a young reader, and it was an honor to hear her talk about what inspired her to write." Kristen Hillman, MAGNOLIA Outreach Coordinator

"I sadly didn’t attend any panels this year; I waited too long and got there too close to my shift. (The sadness!) I observed so many people so excited to be there, though, and it made me so happy to see people coming together to bond over their favorite books and authors! I loved one kid in particular who asked his mom 'What’s a Faulkner?' when I gave him his Mississippi author fortune." Riley Houston, Patron Access Librarian, Talking Book Services

"I enjoyed working at the MLC Pop-Up Library because I got to meet so many people and tell them about libraries. I even ran into a former patron and his mother who I knew from the Autism Resource Center at the Jackson/Hinds Library System. I was delighted to see the progress he's made over the years and to find out he's now a student at Hinds Community College." Ruth Jinkiri, Library Consultant

"I discovered that USM has a graduate study program dedicated for the historical study of war. As a medieval history enthusiast and a military mom, I found the books and topics written by faculty interesting and enjoyed speaking to the staff present at their booth." Kristina Kelly, Public Relations Coordinator

"I had a great time at the book festival. I got to chat with some old friends from my previous job and I met so many other nice people at the MLC booth. The highlight of the day was attending the Literary Thriller panel. Clemence Michallon spoke about her book The Quiet Tenant, which is one of my favorite books of this year. Kevin Powers and Brendan Slocumb were also on the panel. I haven't read their books before, but I plan to now. It was a great conversation." Amanda Minor, Library Consultant

"Of course, there is the obligatory, 'It was SOOO HOT!', but luckily, I had the pleasure of meeting Biscuit, a little cutie who came all the way from D.C to make it to the Book Festival. This was her second trip to Mississippi this year; this seventeen-year-old even broke out her pearls as she explored the Capitol grounds." Charlie Simpkins, Special Collections Coordinator

"I loved seeing Jason Reynolds and Ebony Lumumba in conversation. It was fascinating to hear him talk about his path to becoming an author and his influences over the years. I really enjoyed getting the nitty gritty on Miles Morales and how he developed that Marvel character." Elisabeth Scott, Reference Librarian

Did you miss a panel that you really wanted to see? Be sure to check out the Book Festival's videos of Saturday's activities. 

Did you have a wonderful time? Fill out the Book Festival's survey about this year's fun.

Did you have a favorite moment this year? Which was your favorite panel? Did an author or book or encounter wow you? Drop us a comment and let us know. 

Now that the 2023 festival is over, we're preparing for next year. See you August 17, 2024!

WE-rate This Fantastic

Congratulations to Sharmaine Frazier, State E-rate Coordinator at the Mississippi Library Commission (MLC), who has been selected to join the national E-rate Task Force. "What is E-rate?," you ask. It's a gem of a national program that helps eligible schools and libraries afford high-speed internet and other telecommunication services. Amazing, right?

Sharmaine Frazier has been serving as the State E-rate Coordinator for the Mississippi Library Commission (MLC) since 2019. In her role, she works closely with Mississippi library directors to make the most of the E-rate program and reduce costs, thereby enabling communities to have access to broadband and connectivity. Sharmaine finds inspiration in Helen Keller's quote, "Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much," as it highlights the importance of collaboration. Every remote session that Sharmaine conducts with library directors is part of a team effort to ensure that all Mississippians have access to up-to-date technology resources through their libraries, which is one of MLC's core goals.

It's worth noting that there are eighty state E-rate coordinators across the country, like Sharmaine, in addition to school and tribal E-rate coordinators. 

The E-rate Task Force (ERTF) comprises 12 members representing various regions across the country. These members work directly with the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Their primary objective is to enhance and streamline the existing operations and future development of the E-rate program.

Sharmaine says, "I am excited to work with libraries and to be a part of this task force that has big things planned for the future." If you have any questions about E-rate, you can head to MLC's website or contact Sharmaine directly at sfrazier@mlc.lib.ms.us.

Meet MLC: Charlie Simpkins

Elisabeth Scott

Reference and Social Media Librarian

Meet Charlie Simpkins, Special Collections Coordinator at the Mississippi Library Commission! MLC's kits collection is geared toward meeting public libraries' programming needs, and Charlie is in charge of all things kit here at MLC. He identifies new and interesting products libraries could want or need; then he acquires them so that Mississippi libraries can use them in their communities. The range of items is wide and all-encompassing: from kits focusing on STEM skills, 3D printers, and building kits that fire the imagination and promote learning, to board games, puppets, storywalk, and book club kits that make learning as a community exciting and fun... MLC has them all and Charlie is their curator. He also handles training libraries in kit use, as well as other MLC training needs, and he catalogs our giant large print collection as new books arrive. Charlie loves his job. He says, "My favorite part is getting to hear stories about how excited patrons get at library programs. Getting to see pictures and videos that libraries and their patrons share is like spotting a rainbow on a stormy day. It hits me right in the feels.”

Charlie began working at MLC in June of 2018. Prior to that he held positions as Reference Librarian at the G. Chastaine Flynt Memorial Library in Flowood and Branch Manager at the Northwest Point Reservoir Library, both part of the Central Mississippi Regional Library System. Before jumping into the library world, Charlie taught fourth grade at Highland Bluff Elementary School in Flowood. Charlie holds a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education with endorsements in English and Social Studies. He also holds a master's degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Southern Mississippi.

We asked Charlie what it is that he loves about libraries, and he said, "Libraries equalize the playing field. A library is a place people can go to explore concepts and ideas that they might not otherwise get to discover. I tell my wife that if I don’t learn something new in a day, it feels like a day wasted. Libraries have helped me learn something new so many times because they encourage lifelong learning."

Charlie loves books and loves to read. He says his favorite adult books are probably Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse and A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, but quickly gets distracted listing his favorite children's books. Reading Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes was a transformational experience in college. He regularly recommends Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings and What Do They Do with All That Poo? by Jane Kurtz to his friends, young and old alike. This paragraph could extend into eternity if Charlie had his way.

When he's not championing libraries or reading, Charlie is spending quality time with his wife Kelly and his pup Walden. He likes watching movies and TV, tabletop gaming, attending church, and attempting to write. Charlie has also begun picking up new crafts, like knitting and crochet with his wife.

If you have questions about book, STEM, or other MLC kits, give Charlie a holler at 601-432-4498 or send him an email at csimpkins@mlc.lib.ms.us.