National Book Award Winners Announced

The National Book Foundation named the 2011 National Book Award winners on November 16th at their 62nd annual dinner and ceremony in New York City. For those who could not attend in person, the entire event was webcast via Twitter and Facebook to almost 180,000 fans and followers.

Established in 1950, the National Book Awards have recognized the achievements of authors who have helped shape American literature over the past decades. Past award winners include William Faulkner, Julia Child, John Updike, and Ralph Ellison.

Twenty judges spend their summer reading book submissions and selecting finalists. This year, there were over 1,200 books submitted in total, and awards were given in the categories of: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People’s Literature. The winners were as follows:

Fiction: Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
Nonfiction: The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt
Poetry: Head off & Split by Nikky Finney
Young People’s Fiction: Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai

Hosted by actor, writer and musician John Lithgow, the ceremony was not characterized by suspense (as winners are known ahead of the event), but by the powerful acceptance speeches given by each winner. A five time Emmy award winner and two time Golden Globe winner, Lithgow is no stranger to acceptance speeches. Nonetheless, he described Finney’s speech as, “the best acceptance speech I’ve ever heard for anything in my life.”

For more information and a video of the entire ceremony, visit the National Book Foundation’s website.

Fall for the Book

The Fairfax Library Foundation is an annual sponsor of Fall for the Book, the week-long regional literary festival to be held this year from September 18-23 at venues throughout Northern Virginia, D.C. and Maryland.

As part of the festival, the Foundation proudly sponsors the Fairfax Prize, awarded to an author whose literature contributes significantly to American and international culture. This year’s Fairfax Prize winner is Amy Tan.

Amy Tan will accept the Fairfax Prize at 7:30PM, Tuesday, September 20 in the Concert Hall, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, Virginia.

The Foundation is also sponsoring the appearance of Francine Prose , author of numerous critically acclaimed novels, short story collections, and works of nonfiction.

Francine Prose will talk about viewing America in a new light, similar to the protagonist of her recently released My New American Life: an Albanian immigrant struggling with the politically and culturally complex post-9/11world around her, at 6:30PM, Monday, September 19 in the Johnson Center Cinema, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, Virginia.

Wild Tails in the News

Wild Tails, a program cosponsored by the Fairfax Library Foundation, was featured in a July 11th article by Elizabeth Vandenburg on OaktonPatch. The article covers a July 8th show at Oakton Library, and Wild Tails can also be seen several more times throughout the summer:

July 9th, 2:30pm at Kings Park Library
July 14th, 7pm Dolley Madison Library
July 19th, 2:30pm Martha Washington Library
August 6th, 10:30am, Burke Center Library
August 10th, 10:30am, Great Falls Library

The program is put on by Wildlife Ambassadors, whose representatives include a fox named Mia and a corn snake named Kernel. This environmental education program teaches children about both local and exotic animals.

The Fairfax Library Foundation is proudly cosponsoring several other programs this summer including Fiesta, Meet a Snake, Amazing Folktales, Johnny Reb and Billy Yank, Beans-N-Frank and Amazing Tales and Origami Tricks. Browse the calendar of events to find out more or visit your local library to receive a free copy of the This Month brochure. Some programs require registration which can be done online, by phone, or in person at the branch beginning two weeks before the event.

Business and Community Partnership Champions Announced!

The Fairfax Library Foundation is proud to announce that all three of its nominees ExxonMobil, George Mason Library Friends and the Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce, each won a 2011 Business and Community Award for their commitment and support to the Foundation.

ExxonMobil has been an active partner of the Foundation since 2001, contributing over $100,000 doubling the collection of children’s foreign language materials. In addition, the company matches donations made by its employees including the donation of time given at the branches. The employees adopted the Thomas Jefferson Library and hold an annual volunteer day as well sponsored their Art in the Pages statue. In total ExxonMobil has contributed over $200,000.

The George Mason Library Friends have partnered with the Foundation since 1999. Their contributions total over $590,000, including the establishment of a Children’s Reading Program Endowment to fund the Library’s signature Summer Reading Program (SRP) in perpetuity. The Friends have been the primary sponsor of SRP and have guaranteed the continuation of this program.

The Greater McLean Chamber has been hosting an annual nonprofit workshop for three years. The workshops address the wide gambit for nonprofits from grant writing to online auctions.

“We are indeed fortunate to have such deserving donors and partners supporting the Library Foundation,” said Susan C. Harman, the Executive Director of the Library Foundation.

Fairfax County and the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) recognized business and community partners for outstanding contributions to the community for the first time at a joint celebration on May 23, 2011. The Champion Partnership award winners were recognized at the annual awards ceremony hosted by George Mason University at the Mason Inn Conference Center and Hotel. County Executive Anthony Griffin and Chairman Sharon Bulova of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors presented awards to the County winners. Dr. Jack Dale, Superintendent of FCPS, and Kathy Smith, Chairman of the FCPS School Board presented the awards to the school winners. In total, there were 44 award nominees this year.

2011 Fairfax County Office of Public Private Partnerships (OP3) Award Winners
Small Business Resource Champion: Integrity One Partners, Inc.

Large Business Resource Champion: ExxonMobil

Pro Bono Champion: Robert J. Weil, Attorney-at-Law, Offices of Robert J. Weil

Chamber of Commerce Community Connector: Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce

Community Resource Champion: George Mason Library Friends

Media/Communications Partner: Fairfax County Times

Blue Ribbon Partnerships: Westfields Business Owners Association


2011 Fairfax County Public Schools Award WinnersBlue Ribbon Outstanding Event Award: Mountain View Alternative School Career Networking Fair

Blue Ribbon Workforce Development Award: McDonald's - Welburn Management

Blue Ribbon Mentoring Program Award: Powerful African-American Males About Success (PAAMAS)

Community Partner of the Year Award: Arts Council of Fairfax County

Business Partner of the Year Award: Apple Federal Credit Union and Apple Federal Credit Union Foundation

It takes the collective contributions of individuals, businesses, and organizations, to support the Foundation’s sponsorship of multiple Fairfax County Public Library programs and services including the All Fairfax Reads project, Changing Lives through Literature, the Fall for the Book festival, Scholarships, the Summer Reading Program, and Ready to Read early literacy outreach.

New Executive Director Announced!

Susan Harman has been selected as the Fairfax Library Foundation’s new Executive Director. Harman previously served as Secretary of the Foundation’s Board of Directors and has been part of the Library team for over three years. Harman’s hiring comes after nine months of searching for a full-time replacement for Bobbi Longworth, who served as Executive Director for nine years and who recently accepted a position as Executive Director of the Fairfax County Park Foundation.

Harman will immediately focus her efforts on a number of the Foundation’s upcoming programs and events, specifically the Library Jubilee, the Foundation’s Signature fundraising event, scheduled for October 15th at the Thomas Jefferson Library. Harman will also set her sights on some of the Foundation’s sponsored events scheduled for later on this year, Fall for the Book, Changing Lives Through Literature, Ready to Read, an early literature outreach program, and Fairfax Library Foundation Month.

“I am excited to be working with Susan. Through her work on the Foundation Board, we already have a great working relationship. I look forward to the future direction of the Foundation under her leadership.” says Martina Murphy, Finance & Resource Manager for the Fairfax Library Foundation.

Harman is set to officially start on May 9.

It takes the collective contributions of individuals, businesses, and organizations, to support the Foundation’s sponsorship of multiple Fairfax County Public Library programs and services including the All Fairfax Reads project, Changing Lives through Literature, the Fall for the Book festival, Scholarships, the Summer Reading Program, and Ready to Read early literacy outreach.

Congratulations!

Congratulations are in order for Linda Van Den Akker-Landrum, Youth Services Manager at Martha Washington Library, who was recently awarded a Continuing Education Scholarship to attend the Bureau of Education and Research’s seminar “What’s New in Children’s Literature and How to Use it in your Program.”

Linda is highly motivated to improve upon Martha Washington Library’s children’s programs and she anticipates the Conference being an excellent opportunity to improve upon her leadership and program development abilities, ultimately benefiting the greater Fairfax County community. Recently renovated Martha Washington Library opened to great fanfare last July, and Linda looks to uphold the Fairfax County Public Library’s standards for excellence at her children’s programs in her new branch.

Continuing Education Scholarships are great opportunities for those who serve their local Fairfax County Public libraries and who are looking to advance their skill-set to enhance the overall library system. Continuing Education Scholarships are awarded twice a year. Learn more about the Scholarship Fund.

On behalf of the Fairfax Library Foundation, thank you Linda and the other Continuing Education Scholarship winners for your long-time commitment to the Fairfax County Public Library!

Donors Like You!

In 2002 the Friends of George Mason Public Library provided the Fairfax Library Foundation with a $500,000 endowment to sustain what has become one of the Fairfax County Public Library’s most successful educational programs – the Children’s Summer Reading Program. It is because of the George Mason Friends’ endowment that the Summer Reading Program has grown to record numbers since 2002 and will continue to grow in the years to come. Last year, over 20,000 children and young adults participated in the Summer Reading Program and earned themselves great prizes for their hard work and the fun they experienced while reading!

Friends Groups are great opportunities for residents of Fairfax County to serve their local libraries alongside fellow library lovers. Both regional and community library branches have Friends Groups that fundraise and support its branch’s programs and services that mean most to them. See the Friends page to find out how to get involved with your local Friends Groups.

On behalf of the Fairfax Library Foundation, thank you George Mason Friends for your long-time commitment to the Fairfax Library Foundation and the Summer Reading Program!