Minnesota Book Awards - Author Tour and Book Clubs

You're invited to the Minnesota Writers' Map reception!      Tuesday May 21, 6:30 p.m.      Minnesota History Center, Heffelfinger Room      345 Kellogg Boulevard West      Saint Paul RSVP by Friday, May 17 Beverages and hors d’oeuvres will be provided. Please join the Minnesota Book Awards, Explore Minnesota, the Minnesota Historical Society, and CRPLSA for a reception to launch our new writers' map of the state. The featured writers were chosen by the staff of the Minnesota Book Awards and the Minnesota Historical Society.  The selection spans historical to modern times and includes writers who have had a meaningful impact on the state, its writing life, and in many cases, on the world at large.

Minnesota Writers on the Map is made possible by funds from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage funds for Library Legacy activities, through a designation by the Council of Regional Public Library System Administrators and the people of Minnesota.

Twenty five years of the Minnesota Book Awards

A quick video rewind with some of Minnesota's most talented writers, illustrators, and literary figures at the annual Minnesota Book Award celebration.

The Friends of the St. Paul Public Library is pleased to announce the winners of the 25th annual Minnesota Book Awards announced and presented on Saturday, April 13.  More than 800 people gathered in St. Paul for the award ceremony hosted by author and comedienne Lorna Landvik.  The winners of the 2013 Minnesota Book Awards are:

	Award for Children’s Literature David LaRochelle -- It’s a Tiger!
	Award for General Nonfiction David Treuer -- Rez Life: An Indian’s Journey Through Reservation Life
	Award for Genre Fiction David Housewright -- Curse of the Jade Lily
	Award for Memoir & Creative Nonfiction Atina Diffley -- Turn Here Sweet Corn: Organic Farming Works
	Award for Minnesota Gwen Westerman and Bruce White -- Mni Sota Makoce: The Land of the Dakota
	Award for Novel & Short Story Louise Erdrich -- The Round House
	Award for Poetry Patricia Kirkpatrick -- Odessa
	Award for Young People’s Literature Geoff Herbach -- Nothing Special

The 25th annual Minnesota Book Awards is a project of The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, with the Saint Paul Public Library and the City of Saint Paul. Statewide outreach partners include: the Council of Regional Public Library System Administrators (CRPLSA); the Loft Literary Center; Metropolitan Library Service Agency (MELSA); Minnesota Department of Education---State Library Services; Minnesota Educational Media Organization; and Minnesota Library Foundation. Media sponsors include: Minnesota Public Radio, Pioneer Press, Saint Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN), PSAV Presentations Services and TPT-Minnesota Channel. Major funding for the Book Awards was provided by The Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts; The Huss Foundation; The Katherine B. Andersen Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation; The McKnight Foundation; a Library Services and Technology Act grant administered through the Office of State Library Services; Books for Africa; Education Minnesota; Leonard, Street and Deinard; Marvin Windows and Doors; Meyer, Scherer and Rockcastle; Minnesota AFL-CIO; Sit Investment Associates; and Wellington Management, Inc.

All of our episodes for the Minnesota Book Award Finalists have been recorded, edited and made available to you via SELCOtv!  The 2013 winners will be announced on Saturday, April 13 at the MNBA awards celebration at The Hilton Minneapolis.  You still have a bit of time to hear what SELCO staff thought about all 32 titles in the running. 

• General Nonfiction reviewed by Rachel Gray, Information Services Librarian
• Poetry reviewed by Michael Scott, Assistant Director
• Children's Literature reviewed by Ann Hutton, Executive Director
• Novels & Short Stories reviewed by Aimee Lake, Finance Manager
• Minnesota reviewed by Donovan Lambright, Automation Librarian
• Memoir/Creative Nonfiction reviewed by  Cheryl Hill, Technology Services Librarian
• Young People reviewed by Mollie Stanford, Regional Librarian
• Genre Fiction reviewed by Tyler Irvin, Technology Support Librarian

Michael Scott continues our SELCOtv series featuring the finalists of the 2013 Minnesota Book Awards with the Poetry selections.

The Poetry Finalists are:

• The First Day of Spring in Northern Minnesota by Jim Johnson (Red Dragonfly Press)
• Odessa by Patricia Kirkpatrick (Milkweed Editions)
• Pitch by Todd Boss (W. W. Norton & Company)
• Salt Pier by Dore Kiesselbach (University of Pittsburgh Press)

Watch the video here!

SELCOtv launched a new series for this year’s Minnesota Book Awards (MNBA).  The first episode features the four general nonfiction finalists as booktalked by Rachel Gray, SELCO Information Services Librarian.  In the weeks leading up to the 2013 Award Gala on April 13, SELCOtv will produce seven additional videos.  Each will offer a short synopsis of the finalists in the other literary categories.  Check out the MNBA general nonfiction titles and stay tuned for upcoming MNBA SELCOtv episodes.

The general nonfiction video highlights:

• Debating the End of History: The Marketplace, Utopia, and the Fragmentation of Intellectual Life by David W. Noble (University of Minnesota Press)

• Forward: The First American Unsupported Expedition to the North Pole by John Huston and Tyler Fish (Octane Press)

• Holding Our World Together: Ojibwe Women and the Survival of Community by Brenda J. Child (Viking/Penguin Group)

• Rez Life: An Indian’s Journey Through Reservation Life by David Treuer (Atlantic Monthly Press/Grove/Atlantic, Inc.)

The Friends of the St. Paul Public Library is pleased to announce the finalists for the 25th Annual Minnesota Book Awards (MNBA).  Judges from around the state - writers, teachers, librarians, booksellers and others from the literary community - announced four titles in each of eight categories.  Click here for the 2013 nominees in:

• Children's Literature
• General Nonfiction
• Genre Fiction
• Memoir & Creative Nonfiction
• Minnesota
• Novel & Short Story
• Poetry
• Young People's Literature

SELCO will purchase copies of each of the 2013 MNBA Nominees for ease of checkout and reading pleasure.  Check the online catalog and pick your favorite MNBA title in each category.

Award winners will be announced at the 25th Annual Minnesota Book Awards Gala on Saturday, April 13 at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Minneapolis.  The opening reception will begin at 7:00 p.m. and the awards ceremony will follow.  Click here for more information about the Gala and to purchase tickets.

Every Minnesota reader can join in the fun.  Count down to the Gala Awards and learn more about the finalists on the MNBA 32 Books in 32 Days blog, beginning March 12 for the 2013 finalists.

Interested in reading two Minnesota classics??!  Book a Minnesota Reads Minnesota Book Club in a Bag kit today!  The Minnesota Reads Minnesota kits were created by the Minnesota Historical Society in partnership with the Minnesota Regional Library Systems to honor books written by Minnesotans about Minnesota.  Each book featured is part of the Minnesota Historical Society's collection and selected by MHS Acquisitions Librarian, Patrick Coleman.  Each kit includes a discussion guide and twelve paperback copies.  The two titles available for booking are Main Street by Sinclair Lewis and Lake Wobegon Days by Garrison Keillor. Take book club discussions to the next level by encouraging library patrons to check out these kits!  Also, based on book club participation and kit use, libraries could host a discussion led by Patrick Coleman himself!  General PR posters and bookmarks are available to help promote the kits.

To view the kits in AquaBrowser, please do a series search for "Minnesota Reads Minnesota" or find the kits doing a general "book club in a bag" search.  More info about these kits and SELCO's Minnesota Book Club in a Bag kits can be found HERE (click on the Book Club tab).  Questions?  Give us a call!  Happy Reading!

The deadline to nominate a book for the 25th Minnesosta Book Awards is fast approaching! Nominations and materials must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, December 14, 2012.

The program honors Minnesota’s finest authors and primary artistic creators in eight categories: Children’s Literature, General Nonfiction, Genre Fiction, Memoir & Creative Nonfiction, Minnesota, Novel & Short Story, Poetry, and Young People’s Literature.

Authors, publishers, and agents may nominate an eligible book by completing the nomination form and submitting five nonreturnable copies of the book, plus a $45 nomination fee. Nomination forms and the eligibility and entry guidelines are available online. Winners will be announced at the Awards Gala in April, at the Hilton Minneapolis.