Award for Promotion of Literature Presented
The Nebraska Center for the Book presented the 2013 Jane Geske Award to the Nebraska Library Commission at the recent Celebration of Nebraska Books. The Nebraska Library Commission was honored for their extraordinary contribution to literacy, books, reading, libraries, or literature in Nebraska. Since 1901 the Nebraska Library Commission has been dedicated to statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library services. Underscoring the Commission’s long-term commitment to literature and literacy, several Library Commission staff members served on the founding board of the Nebraska Center for the Book in 1990—along with Jane Pope Geske. The Nebraska Library Commission has continued to provide staff support and funding to ensure that the activities and efforts of the Nebraska Center for the Book volunteers can be consistently delivered. The Nebraska Center for the Book annually presents the Jane Geske Award to an organization, business, library, school, association, or other group that has made an exceptional contribution to literacy, books, reading, libraries, or Nebraska literature. 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 Geske was the director of the Nebraska Library Commission, a founding member of the Nebraska Center for the Book, a Lincoln bookseller, and a long-time leader in Nebraska library and literary activities. The Nebraska State Historical Society’s Nebraska History Museum was the site of the 2013 Celebration of Nebraska Books, sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Humanities Council, Nebraska Library Commission, Nebraska State Historical Society, and University of Nebraska Press. The celebration also featured presentation of the 2013 Nebraska Book Awards, including readings by some of the winning authors. A list of the winning books is located at http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/awards.html. The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission. As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing together people and information.###
The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission website, www.nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases
