BookGuide - Lincoln City Libraries - Local Literary Events

Trying to find out about literature and literary-themed events and activities in Lincoln, Nebraska? We suggest that you first take a look at the Lincoln City Libraries' Programs and Events Calendar for information about special literary-themed events scheduled at the libraries for both adults and youth during the next several months. You can also find listings of non-library literary events by clicking here: Other Lincoln Literary Events.

For local book groups, visit BookGuide's Book Talks and Book Discussion Groups page!

>>> Submit your own community Literary Event information! <<<

Cutting for Stone is the title selected for the 10th annual One Book - One Lincoln as announced on September 6th. You can now visit the official 2011 One Book web page for background information about the book and author, as well as schedules of discussion groups and other special programming.

You can sign up to be notified by e-mail about all new developments regarding One Book -- One Lincoln. You can become a fan of One Book - One Lincoln on Facebook by "liking" the One Book Facebook group. We also encourage you to stop by the One Book -- One Lincoln Blog, where you can leave comments about the book selections and the entire One Book process in response to posted discussion topics.

During both the Spring and Fall, the Nebraska Literary Heritage Assocation sponsors a free monthly "brown bag" lecture series, featuring readings and talks by Nebraska authors. The programs are held in the 4th floor auditorium of the Bennett Martin Public Library downtown, at 14th and "N" Sts. Unless otherwise specified, programs begin at 12:10 p.m. and end before 1:00 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring their lunch...coffee is provided by The Mill in Lincoln.

Here is the Winter/Spring 2012 schedule!

Click here to print a small poster of the Winter/Spring schedule for yourself or to share with others! (pdf format)

Wednesday, February 1, 2012 -- Pat Leach -- Lincoln City Libraries' Director -- "Notable Books"
Wednesday, March 7, 2012 -- Amy Plettner -- Nebraska writer -- "Undoing Orion's Belt": Poetry, Libraries and the Writer's Life
Wednesday, April 4, 2012 -- Ricardo Garcia -- storyteller -- "Have Yarn, Will Spin": Presenting the Fourth Rendition of "Montana's Top Bananas" - door prizes!

Visit the Lincoln City Libraries' Lunch at the Library page for more information.

During both the Spring and Fall, the Jane Pope Geske Heritage Room of Nebraska Authors sponsors a free monthly Sunday afternoon lecture series, featuring readings by Nebraska authors. The programs are held in the Jane Pope Geske Heritage Room of Nebraska Authors, on the 3rd floor of the Bennett Martin Public Library downtown, at 14th and "N" Sts. Ames readings are held on Sunday afternoons, starting at 2:00 p.m.

Here is the Winter/Spring 2012 schedule!

Click here to print a small poster of the Winter/Spring schedule for yourself or to share with others! (pdf format)

January 15, 2012 -- Sarah McKinstry-Brown -- Sarah was born in Albuquerque, NM, but has lived in Omaha for the past ten years. She has degrees in English and the Fine Arts. Her poem, “Music Appreciation 101” is included in Nebraska Presence: An Anthology of Poetry, published by Backwaters Press in 2007. She has won several awards recently, the Academy of American Poets Prize and the Blue Light Book Award in 2010 as well as the Nebraska Book Award for Poetry in 2011 for Cradling Monsoons, published in 2010 by Blue Light Press.
February 19, 2012 -- Susan Grace Dittman -- Born in Philadelphia, Susan has lived in a number of places as well as Lincoln. She has degrees from Cornell University and Northwestern University. Her interest in historical writing led her to write Abraham Lincoln’s Shining Star: The Inspiring Story of Abraham Lincoln and Nebraska; in it, she connects Nebraska and Lincoln, the only U. S. state capital named after our 16th president with Abraham Lincoln’s influence on the state’s formation and development.
March 18, 2012 -- Paul Dickey -- Paul was born in Kansas, but has lived in Omaha since 1985. He has degrees in Psychology and Mathematics and the History & Philosophy of Science; he is interested in writing as well. He has written poetry, fiction, short non-fiction and plays. He also has a poem published in Nebraska Presence: An Anthology of Poetry, “Constellation.” His latest book is titled They Say This Is How Death Came into the World, published in 2011.
April 15, 2012 -- Mary Helen Stefaniak -- A Milwaukee native, Mary Helen grew up in a bicultural household, her father born in Wisconsin and her mother in Georgia; no doubt there is some connection with her most recent novel, The Cailiffs of Baghdad, Georgia (W.W. Norton & Co., 2010.) A writer of fiction and essays with degrees from Marquette University and the Iowa Writers' Workshop, she has also written The Turk and My Mother and Self Storage and Other Stories. Mary Helen currently divides her time between Iowa City and Omaha, where she teaches at Creighton University.

Visit the Lincoln City Libraries' John H. Ames Reading Series page for more information.

The events listed below are literature-related activities that take place on a regular schedule, as opposed to one-shot author appearances. If you've got an upcoming or regularly-scheduled literary event in the Lincoln, Nebraska community, that's open to the general public, free-of-charge, and you'd like to be included in our list of local Literary Events on this page, please visit our Literary Events submissions page and fill out a brief form giving us some information about your group.

[ For listings of book discussion groups throughout the Lincoln community, visit our Book Groups page ]

Following the ongoing success of the first several years of One Book One Nebraska, featuring Willa Cather's My Antonia, Omaha mystery novelist Alex Kava's One False Move, Mari Sandoz' classic history text Crazy Horse, Nebraska State Poet William Kloefkorn's autobiography Restoring the Burnt Child, Bess Streeter Aldrich's A Lantern in Her Hand, Wright Morris' The Home Place and Ted Kooser's Local Wonders: Seasons the Bohemian Alps, the Nebraska Library Commission, the Nebraska Center for the Book, the Nebraska Library Association, the Nebraska Regional Library Systems and other organizations are sponsoring yet another year of One Book One Nebraska in 2012!

The 2012 selected title is Joe Starita's gripping non-fiction book, I Am a Man: Chief Standing Bear's Journey for Justice. You can find more information about the 2005-2010 events at the official One Book One Nebraska Web site.

Acoustic Open Mic for Musicians and Poets

Where: Meadowlark Coffee & Espresso (1624 South St.)
When: Every Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.

For information about events at Meadowlark Coffee, check out their Facebook page at: Meadowlark Coffee & Espresso, and their MySpace page at: Meadowlark Coffee & Espresso.

The Clean Part Reading Series

Where: Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery (12th and "R" St.)
When: Occasional Saturdays at 7:00 p.m.

This series showcases innovative poets from across the country. For more information, and a schedule of upcoming dates, check out: The Sheldon Memorial Art Galley schedule of upcoming events.

Crescent Moon Reading Series

Where: Crescent Moon Coffee (816 "P" St.)
When: Mondays at 8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Mondays at 7:00 pm is the Crescent Moon Readings Series followed by an open mic. We feature a writer for the first hour of the evening and then offer the microphone to anyone who has written poetry, stories, or songs and wished to have the opportunity to share them. The Crescent Moon Reading and Music Room is indoors across the courtyard from Crescent Moon Coffee.. For more information, check out their website at: Crescent Moon Readings.

no name poetry reading series

Where: Sur Tango Bar et Cafe (12th and "P" St.)
When: Alternating Fridays at 4:00 p.m. (The Winter/Spring season starts Jan 22nd)

The no name reading series is run by the graduate students in the english department of the university of nebraska-lincoln. it aims to support the creative talent that comes out of the department by promoting that talent throughout the greater lincoln community. For more information, check out their website at: no name poetry reading series.

Lincoln Scrabble® Club

Where: Eiseley Branch Library (15th and Superior St.)
When: The third Wednesday of every month from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; also the second Tuesday of every month at the Hy-Vee Store, 51st & "O", from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Lincoln Scrabble® Club is a group of casual to competitive Scrabble® players from the Lincoln, Nebraska area. All ages and all skills levels are welcome. We play by the game rules of the National Scrabble® Association. For more information, you can call Judy at 483-6233 or email at trudy2(at)windstream.net.

Star City Slam

Where: Meadowlark Coffee & Espresso (1624 South St.)
When: Second Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m.

Offering featured performers and a cash prize for first place, it's a poetry slam where the winner can never use the same winning poems again to get that top prize, in this winner takes all rhetoric throw down. For information about events at Meadowlark Coffee, check out their Facebook page at: Meadowlark Coffee & Espresso, and their MySpace page at: Meadowlark Coffee & Espresso.

Tuesdays with Writers at The Mill -- College View

Where: The Mill -- College View (4736 Prescott St)
When: First Tuesday of each month

Readings by featured authors, plus communal book/writing discussions. Check out the Tuesdays With Writers blog for more information.