Grant Awarded: April 2005

Type of Grant: Humanities Project Grant

Sponsor: Ann Arbor Book Festival

Contact: Kathy Robenalt, wroben3357@aol.com

Website: www.aabookfestival.org

Award: $18,000

ANN ARBOR BOOK FESTIVAL AWARDED $20,450 GRANT

(ANN ARBOR)----- The Michigan Humanities Council (MHC) is pleased to announce it has awarded a $20,450 grant to the Ann Arbor Book Festival (AABF) for its 2005 festival. The grant is part of the Council’s “Strengthening Michigan's Communities Through the Humanities” program which emphasizes collaboration among cultural, educational and community-based organizations and institutions to serve Michiganians with public humanities projects and programs. The MHC has been a significant sponsor to the festival in each of its first two years.

“ We are pleased to fund a public humanities program that relates to reading, improving literacy and promoting books,” stated Jan Fedewa, Executive Director of the Michigan Humanities Council. “The Ann Arbor Book Festival will successfully enhance the importance of books and reading in our lives through interactive programs.”

The goal of the Ann Arbor Book Festival is to increase awareness of literacy challenges, both basic reading and writing skills and for the special problems faced by those for whom English is a second language. A plethora of activities will be featured in the 2005 festival, including:

• The AABF will produce a literacy guide – with input from over 50 literacy organizations in the area -- available free to the public.
• An Ann Arbor Bookstore Crawl will be held the week prior, from May 14-21, with prizes awarded to customers visiting a minimum number of area stores.
• A Literacy Symposium for educators and parents will feature Ruth Culham, author of “6+1 Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide,” from 5 – 8 p.m. on May 19.
• The AABF will implement a literacy promotion event, including visits by children’s authors to area schools on May 20.
• A book binding tour or Malloy, Inc., on May 20.
• An author reception to be held at the Michigan League on May 20.
• An information booth about the future Ann Arbor 826 facility, which will offer free tutoring for writing and reading.
• The Festival will be officially opened in downtown Ann Arbor, with with a proclamation declaring Sat., May 21 "Michigan Reads" Day delivered for Governor Granholm by Dr. William Anderson, director of the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries. “Books Change Lives” panel featuring Dr. William Anderson, , and other notable Michigan historians and authors on May 21.
• Book signings and presentations from many Michigan-based authors including James Tobin, Anita Ahearn, Judith Guest, Phyllis Vine, Fergus Bordewich, and others on May 21.

“ The granting of the Michigan Humanities Council funds to the Ann Arbor Book Festival provides a significant degree of credibility to the project and its efforts to advance reading, writing, literacy and love of books in the community,” stated Kathy Robenalt., executive director of the Ann Arbor Book Festival. “In addition, the matching funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities broaden the scope of the Festival and bring attention to its relevance and importance. We look forward to another exciting event and invite all members of our area to attend.”
(more)Michigan Humanities Council/Ann Arbor Book Festival release. Page 2

“I strongly support efforts to promote reading and an interest in books, not just for children but for people of all ages,” stated U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow. “This Michigan Humanities Council grant to the Ann Arbor Book Festival helps to support an event that demonstrates the importance of reading and writing in all our lives.”

The Ann Arbor Book Festival
The Ann Arbor Book Festival will be held from May 19 – 22, 2005. The many public appearances and book signings will take place on North University Ave in downtown Ann Arbor from May 21-22. For more information on the Ann Arbor Book Festival, please visit www.aabookfestival.org, or call (734) 369-3366.

The Michigan Humanities Council
The Michigan Humanities Council, founded in 1974, is the state’s independent, non-profit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. For more information on the Michigan Humanities Council, please visit www.michiganhumanities.org or call (517) 372-7770.

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