The Literary Gregg Harper

As the third annual Mississippi Book Festival draws near (only one week to go!), we're gearing up for a great time. One event we're especially looking forward to actually occurs pre-Festival. Representative Gregg Harper, who is currently serving his fifth term in the U.S. House, will visit the Mississippi Library Commission the day before the Festival along with the Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden. While we always welcome the chance to rub shoulders with our lawmakers from Mississippi (everyone loves Library Day at the Capitol!), this visit from our Congressman promises to be especially rewarding.

Rep. Harper is the Chairman of the Joint Committee of the Library, which has oversight of Library of Congress operations. Fun fact: the committee is the oldest continuing joint committee of the US Congress! While he's here, the congressman will present a donation of books from the Library of Congress Surplus Book Program. These books will enhance both MLC's collection and those of public libraries across Mississippi. After the presentation, Mississippi librarians will have a special Q&A session with Dr. Hayden.

On the day of the actual Festival, there are even more Harper appearances to look forward to. Repeating his role in kicking off the initial Mississippi Book Festival in 2015, the congressman will join Dr. Carla Hayden at 9 AM in kicking off the Festival by unveiling the new Mississippi Literary Map. The map was commissioned by the Mississippi Library Commission and the Mississippi Center for the Book. (If you can't make it, you can watch it here on C-SPAN.) Directly after the unveiling, Harper and Hayden will collaborate in a unique discussion. (If you can't make it, you can watch it here on C-SPAN.)

During the inaugural Festival in 2015, Rep. Harper brought along several programs from the Library of Congress, like the American Folklife Center, the Educational Outreach Division, and the Veterans History Project. On behalf of the latter project, he conducted a fascinating live interview with WWII soldier, POW, and veteran Earl Derrington.

Congressman Harper said of the first Mississippi Book Festival, "This will be an outstanding event, and something that folks of all ages and interests will not want to miss." We just know that the same thing will hold true for the third annual Festival on August 19!

https://cha.house.gov/jointcommittees/joint-committee-library
https://harper.house.gov/about-gregg/biography
https://harper.house.gov/sites/harper.house.gov/files/115thRevisedOfficialPhoto8x10_0.pdf
https://harper.house.gov/press-release/library-congress-showcase-programs-mississippi-recordings-first-annual-mississippi
http://msbookfestival.com/schedule/panelist

Sixty Odd Years of Mapping the Literary

As we announced back in May, the Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden is traveling to Mississippi in a few short weeks to participate in Mississippi Literary Lawn Party activities and we couldn't be more thrilled. (Seriously, if you haven't marked the Mississippi Book Festival on your calendar for August 19, you need to do it now!) One of her many planned events while in Jackson is the unveiling of Mississippi's brand new literary map. This map, commissioned by the Mississippi Library Commission and the Mississippi Center for the Book, honors our state's rich literary culture and history.

The 2017 Mississippi Literary Map, which features 21 Mississippi authors illustrated by Jacksonian Ginger Williams Cook, is the latest in a series of maps put out by various literary-minded agencies in our state. One has appeared approximately every twenty years, each featuring a new representation of the lit set in Mississippi. In 1951, a blue-green hued map was created by two professors at Mississippi Southern College (now the University of Southern Mississippi). It was endorsed by the Mississippi Education Association.

Section of 1951 Mississippi Literary Map

A new map in 1970 had a more minimalist design. This map was put out by the Mississippi Library Association, which created a special Literary Map Committee for the occasion.

Section of 1970 Mississippi Literary Map

By the way, if you caught our teaser on Facebook yesterday, this angel represented Mississippi author Elizabeth Spencer's book No Place for an Angel.

In 1992, a literary map consisting of a collection of watercolor portraits by Wyatt Waters took the spotlight. It was compiled by the Mississippi Council of Teachers of English and sponsored by Delta State University. Funding was partially provided by an LSTA grant administered by the Mississippi Library Commission.

Section of 1992 Mississippi Literary Map

Stay tuned to our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram feeds as we share more from these fascinating old maps. We're counting down the days until Carla Hayden reveals the new map at the Mississippi Book Festival and can't wait to see who's on it!

Mississippi Marathon Read

The Mississippi Library Commission is proud to partner with the Mississippi Humanities Council in the first ever Mississippi Marathon Read at the Mississippi Book Festival August 19! Come celebrate the publication of the new Mississippi Literary Map, funded by a Bicentennial Grant from MHC and Visit Mississippi. From 9:30 to 5, 15 Festival panelists will read from the works of 15 of your favorite Mississippi authors in 30-minute increments. All the fun happens in room 204 in the Capitol, so come on by to hear your new favorites read your old favorites!




Schedule:

9:30 Katy Simpson Smith reads Eudora Welty
10:00 Taylor Kitchings reads Barry Hannah
10:30 John Gregory Brown reads Lewis Nordan
11:00 Norma Watkins reads Anne Moody
11:30 Jami Attenberg reads Donna Tartt
12:00 Ebony Lumumba reads Margaret Walker Alexander
12:30 Steve Yates reads Walker Percy
1:00 Mary Miller reads Ellen Gilchrist
1:30 Gilbert Ford reads Tennessee Williams
2:00 Tom Franklin reads Larry Brown
2:30 Odie Lindsey reads Brad Watson
3:00 Michael Farris Smith reads Jesmyn Ward
3:30 Ralph Eubanks reads Richard Wright
4:00 Beth Ann Fennelly reads Natasha Trethewey
4:30 John T. Edge reads William Faulkner

Summer Fun at the Library

As a parent, I understand the challenge of keeping kids busy during the summer. Finding fun activities was a challenge at best. The dreaded "I'm bored" made my head spin and made me count the days until school started again.

It doesn't have to be that way...thanks to your public library. The Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) is a consortium of states working together to provide high-quality summer reading program materials for children, teens, and adults at the lowest cost possible for their public libraries. By combining resources and working with an exclusive contracted vendor to produce materials designed for CSLP members, public libraries in participating states or systems can purchase posters, reading logs, bookmarks, certificates, and a variety of reading incentives at significant savings. It really proves the power of collaborative partnerships and library patrons are the ones who benefit.

Most libraries have something for all ages during the summer months. I've recently been traveling the state to check out some of these great Summer Library Program offerings. 

Baby Yoga at the Madison Public Library

 

These little ones had a wonderful time that day listening to stories about yoga and the importance of staying fit and healthy. They were able to spend time with their moms, aunts, grandmothers, or caregivers in a fun, relaxed environment. What a great idea!

Duct Tape Designs at the Warren County - Vicksburg Public Library

  

I had heard of folks doing creative things with duct tape, and it was great to see the kids who participated having so much fun with this! They were able to make a bookmark or beads to create a necklace. The library had lots of volunteers to help and everyone had a great time.

Summer Library Program Kickoff with Superheros at the 

Laurel - Jones County Public Library

 

Talk about an amazing Summer Library Program kickoff event! Having three superheros jump from a plane and land in front of the library was quite a sight to see. The children were so excited to meet all of the heroes up-close-and-personal. It made for a great beginning for Laurel's Summer Library Program.

Puppet Show at the Florence Public Library

What child doesn't love a fun puppet show?  This library knows just how to make them fun and exciting for the kids. I was even dancing and singing along to the upbeat tunes. The stories were so cute and it was a great way to spend an afternoon at the library.

 "Unbuild It" at the Batesville Library

This program was so cool! The children were able to actually "unbuild" computers, computer screens, and tape decks. They even had activities for the smaller kids, who were able to build with Legos and Duplos. What a fun day at the Batesville Library!

Colorcopia - Art Classes for Adults at the Southaven Public Library

Adults from the Southaven area recently had the opportunity to channel their inner Picasso! John Martin Barger, a teaching artist with the Dixon Gallery & Gardens in Memphis, taught the group how to do collage cubism. Those in attendance had a wonderful time and came away with some true masterpieces!

All of these stories will be combined into a short documentary film about the value of Summer Library Programs in Mississippi. Be sure to watch for it to be released in early 2018! Thank you to all of the libraries who invited us to come and be a part of your fun programs. Great job!

LearningExpress Leaves the Station

For many years, the Mississippi Library Commission has provided access to LearningExpress Library for all Mississippians through their public libraries. As we announced back in April, we will be unable to continue this statewide subscription for the coming fiscal year. We're sorry to let such a vital resource go and know that we'll all feel its loss. Hopefully this will be a temporary setback and we will be able to resubscribe in the near future. In preparation of the loss of site access on July 31, MLC staff have created a resource page on our website. This page directs people to free sites that offer test prep or practice tests for many of the current tests offered on LearningExpress Library. Currently available are test prep for the ACT, GED, and GRE. We're planning to add test prep for the ASVAB and PRAXIS as soon as possible. We'll clearly miss the benefits of LearningExpress, but hope that this solution will provide some help to your patrons who regularly use the resource.

Let Me Put Some Words In Your Mouth

Summer Library Program at Winston County Library in Louisville,
a branch of the Mid-Mississippi Regional Library System

Every winter and spring, libraries are preparing ahead and looking for great guests for local summer library programs. Animal caretakers, magicians, firefighters, policemen, and other local professional, nonprofit, and state agency employees all contribute to fantastic, eye-opening experiences for children (and adults!) across Mississippi. We recently caught up with ventriloquist Johnny Lowe to discuss his experience during his first summer performing at libraries.

Summer Library Program at Lincoln County Library in Brookhaven,
headquarters of Lincoln-Lawrence-Franklin Regional Library

Lowe says that though he performed in big and small libraries, every single one has been a great event with a spectacular audience. "A lot of kids have never seen a ventriloquist and their reactions can be pretty interesting. The younger kids especially get a kick out of seeing a purple cat be loud and obnoxious. They flock to the front after a performance and ask to pet and talk to my sidekick Hunter."

Summer Library Program at Prentiss Public Library,
a branch of South Mississippi Regional Library

"I’m no Jeff Dunham," says Lowe, "but I’m always learning and working to be as entertaining and funny as I can. Once in a while a kid will say, 'I saw your mouth moving!' and then Hunter will berate me for not rehearsing enough. Other times they’ll ask if the puppet is real. When they do, Hunter looks at me and says, 'Nope, he’s pretty fake.' I'll say, 'Hey, that was rude,' and he'll respond with 'What's your point?' The kids and I all have had a lot of fun and it's been wonderful sharing my passion for ventriloquism with them."

Summer Library Program at West Public Library,
a branch of Mid-Mississippi Regional Library System

Summer library programs are still going strong in public libraries across the state. Head to your local library to find out what fun and extraordinary offerings they have for you!

The Hate U Give is on the Map

The Mississippi Center for the Book (MSCFB) is pleased to announce that Angie Thomas's debut novel The Hate U Give has been selected to represent Mississippi on the 2017 National Book Festival’s Discover Great Places through Reading Map.

The book, acquired in a 13-house auction by Balzar + Bray/Harper, was released in February of 2017 to great acclaim. Everyone from The Atlantic to NPR to The Guardian to Oprah has given it rave reviews and it's been on the New York Times Best Seller list for the past 16 weeks. Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter witnesses a childhood friend's death and is faced with the decision whether to stand up for her friend and her neighborhood or to play it safe and let his death go by unnoticed and without justice. Aimed at young adults, but immensely readable by adults as well, The Hate U Give is a hard hitting, no holds barred look at police violence, racial profiling, and standing up for what you believe in. There's a great interview with the author and a discussion guide here.

Angie Thomas was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. She holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Belhaven University. Apart from her top-notch writing skills, Thomas is also a hip hop scholar and Harry Potter aficionado. She is currently working on her next novel and will be participating in the Mississippi Book Festival's Rising Stars in Young Adult panel in August.

The 17th Library of Congress National Book Festival will be held Saturday, September 2, 2017 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Mississippi Center for the Book Director Tracy Carr and MSCFB Assistant Director Ally Mellon will represent Mississippi at the Pavilion of the States.