UConn Library
Archives and Special Collections BlogCheck out Susan’s blog about the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project report on the impact digital technology and social media have on the arts in America. Over 1200 NEA grantees participated in an online survey. The report investigates the many uses of technology in the arts world and identifies challenges organizations face in difficult economic times.
And a great time was had by all at the Connecticut Children’s Book Fair this past weekend! Many thanks to our fantastic authors Harry Bliss, Bryan Collier, Katie Davis, Bruce Degen, Cathryn Falwell, Rita Williams-Garcia, Susan Hood, Tommy Greenwald, Leo Landry, Patricia MacLachlan, Barbara McClintock, Leslea Newman, Matthew Reinhart, Sergio Ruzzier, Robert Sabuda, Jerry Spinelli and Paul O. Zelinsky. Our attendees, little and big, raved about the presentations and how excited they were to get their books signed. The “This is Teen” panel sponsored by Scholastic featured Judy Blundell, Kim Harrington, Kirsty McKay, and Sonia Manzano. Thanks for the great advice for our young writers!
Susan Raab is interviewing some of the best in the arts business and publishing their fascinating advice on her new blog “Artstomarket.” Read great tips like “do’s and don’ts in the arts business” by Roxie Munro and Steve Light, advice on networking and making yourself “visible and indispensable” from Michael Astrachan, President and Creative Director, XVIVO LLC. This great blog was created in conjunction with the workshops coming up at UConn on September 28, 2012, for students in the morning and folks working in the creative arts in the afternoon.
“Arts Market Discovery” 9/28/2012 Dodd Research Center, Storrs, CT
Artists, writers, and performers, join other University of Connecticut students at an intensive 3-hour workshop to investigate marketing strategies and outreach, messaging, and goal setting as you set off on your career in the arts. “Arts Market Discovery” is free and sponsored by the Northeast Children’s Literature Collection, The Straightors Fund, and the Aetna Chair of Writing, English Department at the University of Connecticut. Come prepared with a short description of a product or a concept you hope to promote. Susan Raab, CEO of Raab Associates, will help you identify your most marketable skills. “Arts Market Discovery” will be presented in Konover Auditorium, Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, on September 28, 2012, from 9am to noon.
A second session in the afternoon will cover roles social media, public relations and other marketing tools play in discovering your public persona. Students are welcome to stay for the afternoon program too. Please register separately for each session. Attendance is limited for both sessions so reserve your seat now with jean.nelson@lib.uconn.edu.
“Arts Market Discovery” Workshop 9/28/2012 Dodd Research Center, Storrs, CT
“Crafting a Public Identity” Workshop 9/28/2012 Dodd Research Center, Storrs, CT
“Crafting a public identity: a workshop for creative artists, writers and performers on navigating the arts business maze” will be presented at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center on September 28, 2012, from 1-3:30pm in Konover Auditorium. Susan Raab, CEO of Raab Associates, will moderate a panel consisting of Charles Coe, Program Officer at the Massachusetts Cultural Council; Sharon Butler, Professor at Eastern Connecticut State University; Jeff Raab, 2012 graduate of NYU’s Steinhardt Musical Theatre Program; Roxie Munro, author/illustrator of over 35 children’s books; and Laura Rossi Totten, a book publishing and public relations expert.
The panel will discuss the strategies, techniques and tools used to build an effective marketing presence. Sponsored by the Aetna Chair of Writing, English Department at the University of Connecticut, The Straightors Fund, and the Northeast Children’s Literature Collection at the UConn Libraries. Attendance is limited, so reserve now with jean.nelson@lib.uconn.edu.
“Crafting a Public Identity” Workshop 9/28/2012 Dodd Research Center, Storrs, CT
The Mark Twain House & Museum is hosting Judy Blume next week as a fundraiser for the historic home and museum. Judy is a wonderful writer who has changed the lives of children all over the world for many decades.
They still have a number of seats left for the event. She’s speaking on Thursday, June 21st at the University of Hartford. Tickets can be purchased at http://harttweb.hartford.edu/tickets.aspx (they are $25, $40, or $85 depending on seating, and an opening reception with Judy at the highest ticket level). Judy will also be doing a book signing after the event.
The Mark Twain House is offering a discount code for local organizations, especially those with kids involved, in order to make the event more affordable for families. The discount code is FUDGE and can be entered online when buying tickets, or over the phone.
My favorite memory of Mr. Sendak comes from a dinner at Dean Emeritus Dr. David Woods’ house. Dean Woods had invited a few folks over following Sendak’s visit to UConn to deliver the inaugural Robert Gray Memorial Lecture. Another of the guests was Etienne Delessert, also a well-known children’s illustrator from western Connecticut. They discussed politics.
The NCLC holds original Sendak illustrations from the book he did with Ruth Krauss in 1952, A hole is to dig. It was one of his first major books arranged by Ursula Nordstrom. The NCLC also hold a few illustrations for Somebody else’s nut tree by Krauss, published in 1958.
What a wonderful, scary, brilliant man.
–Terri J. Goldich, Curator
The planning committee for the CT Children’s Book Fair is already busy lining up presenters and programs for the 21st Fair to be held on the Storrs campus on November 10-11, 2012. So far we’ve lined up Patricia MacLachlan, author of Sarah Plain and Tall and many other great books; Robert Sabuda, the paper engineer par excellence and creator of marvelous pop-up books; Barbara McClintock, author and illustrator of the award-winning Adele and Simon books; and Katie Davis, author and illustrator of Little Chicken’s Big Day, which won the 2011 Trailee Award. The exhibit in the Dodd Center’s Gallery From October 2012 to February 2013 will showcase Katie’s archives which are housed in the Northeast Children’s Literature Collection. We’re considering presenting a panel on bullying in addition to the panel on literature for teens, which has been popular for the last two years. Breakfast with Clifford will of course be a highlight both Saturday and Sunday mornings. For more information get automatic updates from the Fair’s Facebook page.
–Terri J. Goldich, Curator
The International Board on Books for Young People has just announced that Maria Teresa Andruetto from Argentina and Illustrator Peter Sis from the Czech Republic are the winners of the 2012 Hans Christian Andersen Award!
Susan Raab, CEO of Raab Associates and sponsor of the Raab Associates Prize for Illustration was interviewed by Laurie Cutter for Cynsations. There’s a wonderful reference to the Raab Prize about half-way down this interesting interview about children’s literature, marketing, favorite books, and of course, the Connecticut Children’s Book Fair dinner last year when everyone drew on the dishes (thanks, Mo).
Congratulations to Chris Raschka for winning the 2012 Caldecott Medal for A Ball for Daisy, a wordless book about a little dog whose favorite possession is accidentally destroyed. When interviewed on NPR, Raschka tells Robert Siegel of All Things Considered that creating the book was “certainly a challenge. It went through many, many variations.” This is Raschka’s second Caldecott Medal; his first was for Hello, Goodbye Window in 2006 and in 1994 he received a Caldecott Honor for his Yo! Yes? Raschka appeared at the 2008 Connecticut Children’s Book Fair and we hope to see him again soon. Congratulations, Chris!
l-r: Terri J. Goldich, Curator; Billie M. Levy, Donor; Kena Sosa, Researcher. Seated: Mrs. Eva Greenwood.
In April, 2011, Ms. Kena Sosa became the 4th recipient of a Billie M. Levy Travel and Research Grant. Her topic of research is the experience of Jewish children who escaped Nazi persecution to England and other countries by means of the Kindertransport program. This link goes to a full description and access to the transcripts of two oral histories conducted with women who were transported to England as children in the Kindertransport program. Ms. Sosa’s PowerPoint presentation, a requirement of the Levy Travel and Research Grant, is also available from the web site. This was the first grant presentation to leave the audience in tears.
