Ohioana Library Awards Announced

From the Ohioana Library:

Columbus, OH – March 30, 2009—

The Ohioana Library has announced the 26 finalists for the 2009 Ohioana Book Awards. “Ohio authors are amazing! The variety, and depth of topics and characters included in this year’s array of book award finalists represent the finest in the literature of our time. We are a proud to recognize the authors from all areas of our state who have published outstanding books this year.” said Linda Hengst, executive director of the Ohioana Library. “We receive 700 to 900 books a year all of which become eligible for the book awards, so the authors of the books selected as finalists should feel truly honored.”

The book awards are given in five categories: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, juvenile literature, and “about Ohio/Ohioans.” Many of the book award finalists will be at our 3rd annual Ohioana Book Festival on May 9th. Ohioana will announce the winners in each category near the end of August, and recipients will be honored at the annual Ohioana Day Awards Ceremony and Luncheon on Saturday, October 17, 2009.

These are the Ohioana Book Award finalists :

Poetry
The Roswell Poem by Rane S. Arroyo – Toledo (WordFarm, 2008)
Everywhere at Once by William Greenway - Youngstown (University of Akron, 2008)
Without Saying by Richard Howard – Cleveland (Turtle Point, 2008)
The Wave-Maker by Elizabeth Spires – Lancaster (Norton, 2008)
An Unmistakable Shade of Red by Mary E. Weems – Cleveland (Bottom Dog, 2008)

Fiction
An Arsonist’s Guide to Writers’ Homes in New England by Brock Clarke – Cincinnati (Algonquin, 2008)
Gone Tomorrow by P. F. Kluge – Gambier (Overlook, 2008)
The Seamstress of Hollywood Boulevard by Erin McGraw – Columbus (Houghton Mifflin, 2008)
A Mercy by Toni Morrison – Lorain (Knopf, 2008)
The End by Salvatore Scibona - Cleveland (Graywolf, 2008)
American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld – Cincinnati (Random, 2008)

Nonfiction
Pure Goldwater by John W. Dean – Akron (Palgrave MacMillan, 2008)
In the Mind’s Eye by Elizabeth Dodd - Athens (University of Nebraska, 2008)
Baghdad at Sunrise by Peter R. Mansoor – Columbus (Yale University, 2008)
The Man Who Adores the Negro by Patrick B. Mullen – Columbus (University of Illinois, 2008)
Hospital by Julie Salamon – Seaman (Penguin, 2008)

About Ohio
Clyde Singer’s America M. J. Albacete - Canton (Kent State University, 2008)
Cleveland: The Flats, The Mill, and The Hills by Andrew Borowiec – Canton (The Center for American Places, Columbia College, Chicago 2008)
The University of Cincinnati photographed by Robert A. Flischel – Cincinnati (RAF, 2007)
All the Way Home by David Giffels – Akron (Wm Morrow, 2008)
Politician Extraordinaire by Frank P. Vazzano – Canton (Kent State University, 2008)

Juvenile
The Death of Jayson Porter by Jaime Adoff – Yellow Springs (Hyperion, 2008)
Where the Steps Were by Andrea Cheng - Cincinnati (Wordsong, 2008)
Beneath My Mother’s Feet by Amjed Qamar - Dublin (Atheneum Young Readers, 2008)
Our Farm by Michael J. Rosen – Columbus/Perry County (Darby Creek, 2008)
The Floating Circus by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer – West Chester (Bloomsbury Children’s. 2008)

The Ohioana Awards began in 1942, with James B. “Scotty” Reston, Walter Havighurst, and Willard M. Kiplinger as the first recipients. In addition to the book awards, the library sponsors six other awards, including citations in a various fields, a editorial excellence award for an Ohio based journal or magazine, the Walter Rumsey Marvin Grant for a young (30 years of age or younger) unpublished author, the Robert Fox Awards for Young Writers, and the Ohioana Pegasus and Career Awards.

The mission of the Ohioana Library, established in 1929 by First Lady Martha Kinney Cooper, is to recognize and encourage the creative accomplishments of Ohioans; preserve and expand a permanent collection of books, sheet music, manuscripts, and other materials by Ohioans and about Ohio; and disseminate information about the work of Ohio writers, musicians and other artists to researchers, schools and the general public. Individuals can visit the library at 274 E. First Ave., Columbus, OH, or online at www.ohioana.org.

Back in the Saddle

Like Diane, I enjoyed escaping the workplace as much as possible over the holiday. I admit it was very difficult to return on Monday, especially with the weather turning so yucky so quickly the last two days.

Ever feel like you have nothing to say? I've felt that way recently; hence I have not posted for awhile. Maybe the holiday season had me down a little.

Anyway, I resolve to post more often and so today, I noticed that Booklist has published their Editor's Choice for 2008 lists nicely divided into categories: Adult Books, Books for Youth, Adult Books for Young Adults, Media and Reference Sources. So check them out and fill those wintery nights with some cool titles to read. A fuzzy blanket, fuzzy slippers, a warm drink and a good book ... what a combo!!!

I actually got to read the book Dewey over the holiday. What a cat! And kudos to the library and director for recogizing the special qualities of him. He lived for 19 years and embued the public library with a wonderful sense of purpose and community.