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April 29, 1999
Press Contact: Yvonne French (202) 707-9191
Public Contact: Center for the Book (202) 707-5221

Robert Hass to Host "River Of Words" Program at Library on Saturday, May 8

Former Poet Laureate Robert Hass returns to the Library of Congress on Saturday, May 8, to moderate a program honoring the 1999 student winners of the fourth annual "River of Words" Environmental Poetry & Art Contest. The program, which features a display of artworks by their creators and poetry readings by the winning authors, will take place at 2:30 p.m. in the Mumford Room on the sixth floor of the James Madison Memorial Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E. It is free and open to the public. No tickets are required.

Mr. Hass cofounded "River of Words" with Pamela Michael, who serves as project director. The International Rivers Network and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress are the cosponsors. The contest, which focuses on the theme of "watersheds," is open to young artists and poets from 5 to 19 years of age.

The 1999 winners, chosen from thousands of entries, were announced by Mr. Hass on April 18 at the San Francisco Public Library. During the ceremony, he remarked, "It's thrilling to see, year after year, these young artists and writers giving us back the places where we live through their words and images. Through their explorations and reflection on their home grounds, we are all made more aware of the beauty, history and fragility of our natural landscapes."

The deadline for next year's contest is Feb. 15, 2000. For information, contact the International Rivers Network, P.O. Box 4000-J, Berkeley, CA 94704, telephone: (510) 433-1155, fax: (510) 848-1008, e-mail: row@inr.org. The River of Words Web site (http://www.irn.org) provides more information.

The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress was established in 1977 to stimulate public interest in books, reading, and libraries. For information about its projects and those of its affiliated state centers and organizational partners, call the center at (202) 707-5221 or visit its Web site at http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook.

Interpreting services (American Sign Language, Contact Signing, Oral and/or Tactile) will be provided if requested five business days in advance of the event. Call (202) 707-6362 TTY and voice to make a specific request. For other ADA accommodations, contact the Disability Employment office at (202) 707-9948 TTY and (202) 707-7544 voice.

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PR 99-060
4/29/99
ISSN 0731-3527