Sojourner Truth Library celebrates National Library Week

NEW PALTZ — The Sojourner Truth Library, located on the campus at the State University of New York at New Paltz, is celebrating National Library Week from April 19-26. Some of the library’s special events include a lecture by an accomplished children’s illustrator, and a talk given by a panel of accomplished authors, titled “Want to be a Published Author?”

James Ransome, accomplished painter and award-winning illustrator, will present a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of artwork for children’s books. Ransome will discuss the variety of books he’s illustrated, artistic influences on his work and how he does his research. A selection of his books will be available for sale and signing before and after his lecture.

Ransome’s richly colored paintings have illustrated more than 20 books for children. His work has won numerous awards, including the International Reading Association Award, the Coretta Scott King Honor Award, the NAACP Image Award for Illustration and the Simon Wiesenthal Museum of Tolerance Award. His “Satchel Paige” was named among the best children’s books of the year by the Bank Street College of Education in 2000.

The lecture will be presented twice on Wednesday, April 21: first at 1 p.m. and again at 4 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

Panelists for the talk “Want to Be a Published Author?” will include Deborah R. Allen, founder and CEO of Black Dome Press in Hensonville; William B. Rhoads, author and professor of art history at SUNY New Paltz; David Appelbaum, owner of Codhill Press and professor of philosophy at SUNY New Paltz; and Patricia Jackson, former owner of the Aesopus Press in Woodstock, now on the staff of Sojourner Truth Library (STL).

Allen will describe how she selects, edits and markets books for Black Dome Press, the leading independent publisher of New York state histories. Rhoads will share his experience in publishing his book, “Kingston, New York : The Architectural Guide” with Black Dome Press. Appelbaum will talk about the world of self-publishing and discuss his epic poem, Nieuw Pfalz, Book I: The Burial. Jackson will recount the story of how Aesopus Press was founded in Woodstock in the 1960s.

Panelists’ publications will be displayed and available for sale. A library guide to “Getting Your Book Published” will be distributed and library books on the topic can be checked out.

This talk will be given at 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 22, in the STL. The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

For more information on the Ransome lecture, contact Darlene Alessi at (845) 257-3716 or by e-mail at alessid@newpaltz.edu. For more information on the publisher’s panel, contact Corinne Nyquist at (845) 257-3681 or by e-mail at nyquistc@newpaltz.edu.

For more information about all STL National Library Week events, visit the library Web site at http://lib.newpaltz.edu. The Sojourner Truth Library is open Monday – Thursday from 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.; on Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.; on Saturday from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.; and on Sunday from 1 – 11:30 p.m.