December 15, 1998

Contact:
Press Contact: Craig D'Ooge (202) 707-9189

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Utah Center for the Book Approved

The Library of Congress has approved a proposal for a Utah Center for the Book that will be affiliated with the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. It will be located at the Salt Lake City Public Library, where Library Director Nancy Tessman will serve as Interim Coordinator. The purpose of the Utah Center for the Book will be "to celebrate, honor and promote interest in books, reading, and the literary and book arts culture and heritage of Utah and the West."

"We're delighted to welcome Utah to our growing network of affiliated state centers," said John Y. Cole, Director of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. "Each state center brings a new dimension to our work and helps us reach new audiences at the grassroots level."

"Utah has a rich literary tradition and a growing interest in the book arts as part of our book and cultural heritage," said Ms. Tessman. "We are eager to develop new partnerships throughout Utah's entire community of the book." The advisory board for the new center includes representatives from the Utah Humanities Council, the Utah Arts Council, the Utah State Library, the University of Utah's Marriott Library, as well as writers, book sellers, and publishers. Initial plans include support of the Great Salt Lake Book Fair and development of an annual statewide literary and book arts awards program.

For information about the Utah Center for the Book, contact Nancy Tessman, Director, Salt Lake City Public Library, 209 E. 500 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84111 or call (801) 524-8200.

The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress was established in 1977 to stimulate public interest in books, reading, and libraries. Its projects, supported mostly by private funds, reach into every region of the country through a network of more than 30 affiliated state centers and 50 national, educational, and civic organizations. For information, visit the center's Web site at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/.

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PR 98-195
12/15/98
ISSN 0731-3527