20 June 2011

The Saint Monica Library Project.

[We interrupt the usual musings for an important public service announcement.]

Saint Monica isn't the patron saint of libraries, but libraries were a saving grace to Mary Biddinger. That's why she is donating four copies of SAINT MONICA to libraries in need, along with a lifetime subscription to Barn Owl Review for each library. Ideally, several of these libraries would be in rural areas, like the setting of the book.

To nominate a library in need, send links + a brief rationale (300 words or fewer) to mb at marybiddinger dot com by 7/5/11. The four libraries will be selected by Mary in consultation with the Barn Owl Review editors, and announced here and elsewhere.

Note: while the book does contain some adult themes, it's not "blasphemous" in a way that would be unwelcome at libraries. Please share this call for nominations, and support your local library whenever you can. Thanks!

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Throughout my life, libraries have been a church for me. There's nowhere that I feel more peaceful and safe, and reverent. Working in libraries helped feed me in undergrad, and the cramped confines of a study carrell eased me through the panic of studying for doctoral exams. I plan to donate copies of Saint Monica to my various alma mater institutions, and to libraries in Northeast Ohio, but I'd really like to broaden my scope, and to reach readers in places like the town where the book takes place (and beyond). To make this a more enduring commitment, I will also donate lifetime subscriptions to Barn Owl Review to these four libraries, in the hope that there's somebody like me back in the day, checking the magazine rack obsessively for new journals to arrive. Thank you so much for sharing this, and for nominating, and for supporting your local library.

~MB

2 comments:

marybid said...

Sorry the font for the "public service announcement" is so teensy. I tried to fix it, with no luck. Thank you for your patience! :)

Kathleen said...

This is a wonderful idea, and I know a fine little library to nominate!

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