The celebration, free and open to the public, will feature presentation of the Nebraska Center for the Book's Nebraska Book Awards and Jane Geske Award. The 2012 Nebraska Book Awards honor authors and publishers of books with a Nebraska connection published in 2011. Featured winning authors will read from their work and sign copies of their books. The 2012 Jane Geske Award will be presented to the Bess Streeter Aldrich Foundation for their exceptional contribution to literacy, books, reading, libraries, or literature in Nebraska. The Jane Geske Award commemorates Geske's passion for books, and was established in recognition of her contributions to the well-being of the libraries of Nebraska. Jane Pope Geske was a founding member of the Nebraska Center for the Book, former director of the Nebraska Library Commission, and a long-time leader in Nebraska library and literary activities.
The Nebraska Center for the Book Annual Meeting will be held at 2:30 p.m., just prior to the November 3 celebration. An Awards Reception honoring the winning authors, book signing, and announcement of the 2013 One Book One Nebraska book choice will conclude the festivities.
2012 Book Award Winners that are expected to speak, read and sign books include:
Twyla Hansen
Jeff Lacey and Calvin Banks
Sandra K. Mathews
Tom McNeal
Dennis Mihelich and Tim Reigert
Richard Schilling
Brent Spencer
The 2012 Celebration of Nebraska Books is sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book, Humanities Nebraska (formerly Nebraska Humanities Council), and Nebraska Library Commission, in partnership with the Nebraska State Historical Society and Museum of Nebraska History. For more information contact Mary Jo Ryan, 402-471-3434 or 800-307-2665, or visit the Facebook pages of the Humanities Nebraska, Nebraska State Historical Society Nebraska History Museum, Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Library Commission, and One Book One Nebraska.