Arizona Center for the Book
About the Arizona Center for the Book
The Arizona Center for the Book at the Arizona State Library sponsors programs that highlight the state's literary heritage and call attention to the importance of books, reading, literacy and libraries.
The Arizona Center for the Book is an affiliate of the National Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. Starting in 1984, the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress began to establish affiliate centers in the 50 states. Today, there is a State Center for the Book in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Arizona Center for the Book at the Arizona State Library received its designation on January 2, 2004.
Arizona Center for the Book Programs
Please click on any of the following links to find more information regarding the Arizona Center for the Book programs:
- Arizona Author Series
- Great Reads from Great Places and the National Book Festival
- Southwest Books of the Year
- Writers in Residence in Libraries
Arizona Author Series
The Arizona Author Series takes place January-May. View the recorded Arizona Author Series on the State of Arizona Research Library's YouTube channel. Keep up with all of StARL’s events by visiting our events calendar.
For more information about the Arizona Author Series contact the State of Arizona Research Library.
Great Reads from Great Places and the National Book Festival
The Library of Congress National Book Festival is an annual literary event that brings together best-selling authors and thousands of book fans for author talks, panel discussions, broadcast specials and other activities. This year’s festival theme is “Everyone Has a Story” and will be held August 12, 2023, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. To bring the festival experience home to Arizona, the Arizona Center for the Book collaborates with other Affiliate Centers to record and promote online conversations featuring the Great Reads from Great Places authors.
Great Reads from Great Places Arizona author conversations.
- Great Reads from Great Places: Natural World (2021)
- Great Reads from Great Places: Western Region II (2022)
- Great Reads from Great Places: Western 2 Children (2023)
- Great Reads from Great Places: Western 2 Adult (2023)
2023 Great Reads from Great Places
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Rim to River: Looking into the Heart of Arizona by Tom Zoellner | Raulito: The First Latino Governor of Arizona by Roni Capin Rivera-Ashford |
Borrow one of these Great Reads from your local library today!
Check out the previous Arizona Great Reads from Great Places.
Southwest Books of the Year
Southwest Books of the Year highlights outstanding works of fiction and nonfiction that feature a southwestern setting or subject. The publication is produced by Pima County Public Library and the Arizona Center for the Book helps distribute up to 12,000 copies of the publication to public, tribal and academic libraries outside Pima County.
Writers in Residence in Libraries
The Writers in Residence program promotes writing in communities by connecting local, professional authors to serve as Writers in Residence at public libraries. Writers in Residence spend time at the library during their residency composing new works and providing education for community members.
The following libraries were awarded LSTA funds to host a Writers in Residence program:
- Pima County Public Library
- Prescott Valley Public Library
For more information, contact Donna Throckmorton at [email protected].
Writers in Residence in Libraries is supported by the Arizona State Library, Archives & Public Records, a division of the Secretary of State, with federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.