Contact: Maridith Geuder
An appearance by JoAnne Prichard Morris of Jackson is among highlights of Mississippi State University's April 14-20 National Library Week observance.
A writer and editor, the widow of famed Mississippi author Willie Morris will speak on the 18th in the John Grisham Room of Mitchell Memorial Library. Her 6 p.m. public presentation on the importance of writing, books and libraries will complement this year's NLW theme, "@Your Library."
An Indianola native, JoAnne Morris is a University of Mississippi graduate who went on to study folklore and American and Southern culture at Western Kentucky University. Co-author of "Yazoo: Its Legends and Legacies" (1976), she is a former executive editor at the University Press of Mississippi, scholarly publishing arm of the state's eight public institutions of higher learning.
Sponsored since 1958 by the American Library Association, National Library Week seeks to recognize the innumerable contributions of public and academic libraries to American life.
Other public NLW events at Mitchell Memorial Library include:
--A 7:30 p.m. performance on the 15th by members of the Starkville Community Theater of a scene from "Bus Stop," their current production. The play's first act will be presented in the library auditorium.
--A poetry "slam" at noon on the 16th at the west-side Drill Field entrance. The hour-long competitive poetry performance is open to all registering in advance with instructional services librarian Jill Grogg at (662) 325-8162 or jgrogg@library.msstate.edu.
--An awards presentation and reception at noon on the 17th in the third-floor Stennis-Montgomery Room. An MSU faculty member, staff member and student worker will be recognized for outstanding service to the library.
Throughout the week, several MSU administrative, faculty and staff volunteers will serve as guest employees to help give attention to the library's many daily services. They include Jimmy W. Abraham, assistant vice president for student affairs, in the first-floor Instructional Media Center at 3 p.m. on the 15th; assistant professor of political science Hannah E. Britton, in the second-floor access services office at 3 p.m. on the 17th; head women's basketball coach Sharon C. Fanning, in the second-floor current journals section at 11 a.m. on the 18th; and University Honors Program director Jack H. White, at the second-floor reference desk at 1 p.m., also on the 18th.
For additional information, telephone Dean Frances Coleman or administrative assistant Debra Fairbrother at 325-0812.