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Women's NationalBook Association

Detroit Chapter

p.o. Box 85523

vVes~and,NIT 48185

2V06-2V07

Board Members

Cynthia DooleyPresident

Laurel BrandtVice President

Nancy 8agnascoTreasurer/Newsletter

Triza Critt!e

SecretaJ'lj

Amy iVlarcacc:o KeyzsrPast President

Margaret AuerNationalRepresentative

National Treasurer

Betty FarhatPublicityChair

Unda Pannuto

Membership Chair

Calia MorseAwards Chair

Women's National Boo:< AssoclatJon-Detrolt Chapter

NEWSLETTERwww.wnba-books.org/detroit

"T."

From the President... I . . 33311

HappySpring Everyone!

Our 40th anniversary year culminated in the completion of a specialanniversary project. Julie Farkas, our intrepid 40th anniversary chair,coordinated the compilation of a young Reople's book !ist-"40 books for40 years" - made up of titles that reflect the diversity of Detroit's culture.Julie had a very niCBannotated booklet of the list created that includesthumbnails of the book covers. Files for the booklet and a bookmark forthe Jistare posted on the Special Projects section of the chapter Website. The chapter has granted permission for anyone to print anddistribute copies of the booklet and bookmark. This is a good way ofgetting WNBA's name out into the community. Celia Morse arranged todistribute copies of the bookJetto TLN, SlC, DPL, and copies wereavailable at the March meeting. If you didn't get a copy and would likeone, call or a-mail me.

The year 2007 is the 90th anniversary of the WNBA. The nationalorganization is looking at ways to CBlebratethe anniversary this fall andthe Detroit chapter has a special charitable project planned tocommemorate the 90 years. As part of WNBA Detroit's ongoing efforts toprovide some charitable support for the Ecorse Library, the chapter isgoing to assemble a donation of 90 books by women authors to bedonated to Ecorse next fall. The first 40 will be chosen from theCelebrate Diversity book list. The chapter is accepting cash donationstoward the purchase of these books and Kim Potter has offered toarrange the purchase of the 40 titles. We will also be collecting another50 books by women authors to complete the donation. Anyone who hasbooks to donate can bring them to the May annual Meeting. Cashdcnations can be brought to that meeting or mailed to WNBA- DetroitChapter, P.O. Box85523, Westland, MI 48185

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PAGE 2 NEWSLETTER

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!'Janey Drewsays:

"Bold, vertical handwritingusually belongs to aliterary person, and jerky,slanted-to-the right lettersare a sign ofnervousness. "

The Clueof the WhistlingBagpipes

"When the lights suddenlygo out, hold onto yourdiamonds for dear life."The Mystery of Lilac Inn

"If you spot a disdainfulshopper damaging anitem and then walkingaway, you >naybe able tosnatch it up at a seriousprice reduction."The Secret of the Old Clock

"V\fhenyou have big newsto divulge at dinner, it'sadvisable to take greatcare in planning themenu."The Clue of the Dancing Puppet

Nancy Drew's Guide to Life,by Jennifer Worick

In rl CIndy saY3: (continuedfrom 9age 1)

I want to remind everyone that the WNBA now sponsors NationalReading Group Month in October. I mentioned in an e-mail thatLaurie Beckelman, the National President, has asked that memberswho belong to book groups share their secrets for success, andperhaps recommend the two or three books that generated the bestdiscussions. Some of you have already provided useful input. If youhaven't already done so, share your thoughts with the chapter listservand we can communicate those ideas to the national Reading GroupCommittee. ,!\dditionaJly,I had suggested to the Reading GroupCommittee that the VVNBA'ssponsorship of the month should belisted on the national website, perhaps in ccnjunction with a ReadingGroup webliography. We have a number of Academic and ReferenceLibrarians among our membership nationally who might be able toassemble something appropriate. Those of you with referenceresearch skills may be asked to assist in such an effort.

Margaret Auer has kept our website updated. Take a peek:http://www/wnba-books.orq/detroitl. If you have forgotten the 10andpassword for the members-only section, just ask. A new passwordtakes effect in June and will be mailed to each member after she hasrenewed. Membership renewals go out in April (renewal forms areattached to this newsletter) anq are due by June 1, which is the startof the chapter's new fiscal year.

In other news, Lois Van Stipdonk will be assuming the membershipchair duties. The chapter is also in need of a new Newsletter Editorto replace Nancy Bagnasco, who has done an excellent job forseveral years. Volunteers?

Laurel Brandt has kept very busy producing programs for both thisyear and next, as well as working on the Chapter's charitableendeavors. Our programs are always good, made even better by theopportunity to spend some time with a bunch of smart, interestingwomen! Anyone who wants to attend a meeting but needs assistancewith transportation should contact any board member. We wanteveryone to be able to participate. I look forward to seeing you all atupcoming events!

NEWSLETTER

WNEll-Detroit 2006-2007Programs

WNBA-Detroit had a full slate of programs this year, ranging from author talksto a library tour to a move night. Our annual Meeting in May will not have aformal presentation, but will be a more social event.

In September we met for brunch with children's book author Sue Stauffacher,who told us about her books-including Haiflj Sue, Donuthead, and the forth-coming Donutheart. She also told us about the Wireman comic book series for

.improving literacy in urban :/Outh. For more information about Sue and her,books, please see her website: www.suestauffacher.com. There is moreinformation about Wireman and how WNBA-Detroit is helping to support thiseffort elsewhere in this newsletter.

In keeping with our 40th anniversary year theme of "Ruby Red" events, inNovember WNBA went to the historic "Red"ford Theatre to enjoy the classicmovie musical "My Fair Lady." The Redford Theatre was built in 1928 and isbeing restored to Art Deco glory by the Motor City Theatre Organ Society.Before the movie, several members took a tour of the theatre and heard ademonstration of the organ's pipes, tambourine, klaxon, gong, and automobilehorn.

In January, for our first program of 2007, we toured the Benson Ford ResearchCenter at the Henry Ford. The center houses "the Ford Motor CompanyHistorical Archives from 1903-1955, as well as a nationally significant collectionof business records, automotive product literature and periodicals, manuscripts,photographs, prints, postcards, maps, trade catalogs, early Americandictionaries, and other library and special collection material"(www.hfmgv.org/research). We had dinner at Richter's Chalet in Dearbornafter the tour.

In March, we met with Gene Scott, author of the 2006 Michigan Notable Book:Michigan Shadow Towns. Mr. Scott gave a multi-media presentation about hisbook which is about 128 Michigan small towns that have survived locaieconomic failures and significant declines in population. Some of the townsare still declining and !ikely to vanish, while others have rebounded from nearghost town status to become more prosperous than ever. This was also theannual Officer Election meeting. We enjoyed a delicious Italian dinner atPasquale's Restaurant in Royal Oak.

In May, our Annual Meeting wiJlbe held at the Redford Township DistrictLibrary. The program is focused on books and wishes. Each attendee isasked to bring a favorite "beach read" and briefly tell what the book is aboutand why she likes it. Members can also bring books for swapping with eachother as well as books and/or other items for donating to the Ecorse PublicLibrary. We wil! also be collecting donations for the EcorseWish/ist Fund.Finally, WNBA-Detroit is establishing a "chapter wishlist" for members to listwished for work and/or home and suggestions for fulfillment. Grab somebooks, make a donation, put your thinking caps on, and gather some greatideas for summer reading.

We had a great "Ruby Red" anniversary year!!!

Lauorel

?AGE 3

Requests

The ACCESS CommunityHealth and Research Center

Family Counseling andMental Health Division is

requesting your help indonating used books tobenefit adult and child mental

health patients. Books on allsubjects, including history,geography, basic science,children's stories, etc. can bedropped off at any ACCESSlocation. For more details,contact Dr. Hahib Haddad at

hhaddad@accessconununity.org

Or (313) 216-2234

Mary .10Durivage

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'Nomen's National Book AssociatIon-Detroit Chapter Literacy Proje'Cts:Wireman

TheWNBA-DetroitChapterbegansupporting literacy in 2002 with a donation to the Oakland Literacy Council. In2007 the chapter contributed $225 to a Michigan author to support her comic book series that improves literacy.

The "Wireman" series of comic books is aimed at improving literacy in urban youth and is provided free to .educators. Children's book author Sue Stauffacher, who spoke to WNBA-Detroit in September, writes "Wireman"as a labor of love. After Ms.Stauffacherspoke to the chapter in September,she wasso impressedwith WNBA andthe Detroit chapter that she became a member.

As she told us, it is very expensive to pay the artist and printer to produce the finished comic books. ChapterPresident Cindy Dooley. the librarian at the Wayne County Juvenile Detention Facility, is enthusiastic about using''Wireman'' with her pauons who have poor reading skills but want stories that are a better reflection of theirinterests than "baby books."

According to Ms. Stauffacher's website (www.suestauffacher.com). the "Wireman" comic series was eight years inthe making and was designed to meet a need for literature that appealed to late, reluctant, an non-Englishspeaking readers. "Wireman" focuses on the 100 most common words in the English language (the first twoissues alone will teach 75 of those words). The 100 most common words make up 50% of all written English.

"Wireman" provides minority readers the opportunity to see themselves reflected in literature, a key component ofpositive identity formation for young readers, and an added bonus to encourage kids to want to read.

The language is simple but the story is complex. engaging the intelligence of older readers and creating the desireto read an unfolding mystery with cliffhanger endings. The look ofthe comic is sophisticated, removing the stigmaassociated with primers. The comic is available free for download for education purposes. You can find out moreabout "Wireman" and Ms. Stauffacher's other books on her website.'

Donations for the Ecorse Public Library

WNBA-Detroit is helping a local public library with its "wishlist" of needs and wants. The Ecorse Public Libraryis a smaH,poorly-funded library in a small, economically-challenged suburb near Detroit. In response to thelibrary's wish for new or gentJy-usedbooks and other items, a motion was unanimously passed at theChapter's March membership meeting to donate books and to set up a fund of member donations for wishlistitems,

Generally speaking, public libraries prefer book donations of recent titles or recently-published classics in verygood condition.' Public libraries usually are not seeking Reader's Digest books, old textbooks, oldencyclopedia sets, and spiral-bound or ring-bound books.

In honor of the Women's National Book Association's founding ninety years ago, the chapter has decided todonate at least ninety books to the Ecors~ library. The first forty of these books will be copies of aHthe bookson the Detroit chapter's fortieth anniversary children's booklist on diversity,For more information on the Ecorse Public Library wishlist and how members can help, please contactpresident Cindy Dooley or vice president Laurel Brandt.

www.wnba-books.org/detroit