The School of Library & Information Studies (SLIS) will be well represented in a Tallahassee celebration of all things “book” in late March.

With FSU English Professor Emeritus John Fenstermaker and Library of Congress Center for the Book Director John Y. Cole, Dr. Wayne Wiegand, F. William Summers Professor at SLIS, will discuss “The Power of Books to Shape American Life,” Friday, March 19 at the FSU Turnbull Conference Center. The free event is part of the Friday Night Kickoff of the 2010 Tallahassee Festival of Books and Writers Conference (March 19–21) entitled “Books Make a Difference.” Learn about both the Writers Conference and the Festival of Books at the Tallahassee Writers Association Web site.

An FSU Friends of Libraries Used Book Sale taking place during the event will be staffed in part by SLIS Goldstein Library Director Pam Doffek, CCI Communications Director Audrey Post, nine members of the SLIS ALA Student chapter, and Dr. Wiegand. All proceeds will go FSU Libraries, including the Goldstein Library.

On Monday, March 22, the Friends of the Florida State Libraries will host an FSU Authors Day, at which all FSU Staff and Faculty who published books in 2009will be acknowledged. This event is being put together by FSU’s Office of Faculty Recognition. Later that evening, the Friends will host their annual banquet.

On Wednesday, March 24 (which Governor Crist has proclaimed “Florida Authors Day”), all Florida Book Award winners for books published in 2009 will be acknowledged at the Governor’s Mansion. As Director of the Florida Book Awards (FBA), which has just completed its fourth year, Dr. Wiegand will be on hand.

Later that evening, Dr. Wiegand will be in attendance as Florida Book Award Gold Medal winners are given their medals at the Florida Secretary of State’s Cultural Heritage Awards Ceremony in the R.A. Gray Building. The winner of the first Florida Lifetime Literary Achievement Award (sponsored by the Florida Humanities Council and juried in part by FBA) will also be acknowledged.