Arts and Culture Live: Minnesota Book Award Author Tour and Book Club in a Bag

2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount

$31,505

Project of

Southeastern Libraries Cooperating Legacy Grant SFY 2014 - SFY 2015

Fund Source

Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund

Recipient Type

Libraries

Status

Completed

Start Date

September 2013

End Date

March 2014

Activity Type

Education/Outreach/Engagement

Counties Affected

Goodhue

Wabasha

Steele

Dodge

Olmsted

Winona

Mower

Fillmore

Houston

Project Overview

The Minnesota Book Award Author Tour connects the public with some of Minnesota's finest authors. Libraries throughout the SELCO region hosted both winning and nominated authors of the 2013 Minnesota Book Awards for the Fall Author Tour. The Winter Author Tour featured Alison McGhee, who is an MNBA winner in multiple genres. All programs were promoted through posters, brochures and print advertisements. Programs were free to the public. The authors spoke to audiences about their books, their experiences as authors and their writing processes. One of the 30 scheduled programs was cancelled, and two were rescheduled due to hazardous weather conditions. In conjunction with the Author Tour, SELCO continued to promote the Book Club in a Bag program by adding 9 new kits containing the Minnesota Book Award winning titles of 2014.

Project Details

2223 attended

Project Details: 2014 Fiscal Year

Legal Citation / Subdivision

Laws of Minnesota for 2013 Chapter 137, Article 4, Section 2, Subdivision 4

2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount

$31,505

Other Funds Leveraged

$2,216

Direct expenses

$33,721

Number of full time equivalents funded

0.11

Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

SELCO will offer a Minnesota Book Award author tour and Book Club in a Bag kits to help connect Minnesota readers and Minnesota authors, poets and illustrators. SELCO will increase output of Minnesota-based writing and increase exposure to Minnesota authors, encourage the reading of more literature written by Minnesota-based authors, and present the library as a cultural center of the community. Program attendees and book club kit users will be surveyed about future reading choices and future writing submissions to local/regional publications.

Measurable Outcome(s)

Selected comments shared via survey after the program: "Good to know who the MN authors are! Otherwise I wouldn't be aware. Good presentation and interesting to hear about ideas for books." " Personable presentation with great visuals. A very good choice for mixed audience and a wise use of grant money." "Author is inspiring, her book was great. Legacy funding put to good use--for author and attendees!" "We read 'Red Sings from Treetops' during library time with our entire school. It is so much fun for the students to hold their own copy of the book and read alond AND study the amazing illustrations."

Source of Additional Funds

St. Joseph's Church in Rushford, Better Brew Coffeehouse, Chatfield Center for the Arts, Houston Community Center, Blooming Prairie City Council, Masonic Theater in Winona, University Center Rochester, multiple Library Friend groups