Chicago Public Library Foundation 2017 CARL SANDBURG LITERARY AWARDS Review – An Evening to Uphold the Written Word!

A Word After A Word After A Word Is Power

“A word after a word after a word is power,” spoke Margaret Atwood, author of “The Handmaid’s Tale” among other books. She and David Eggers, author of several novels, including “A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius” shared their experiences of reading and writing to a gathering of bibliophiles at the Forum on the campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Chicago Public Library Foundation through the SANDBURG LITERARY AWARD

The two of them were part of an informal dialogue, supported by the Chicago Public Library (CPL) Foundation, which centered around their personal writing experiences from the beginning as well as their insights into the present time. Atwood spoke the above quotation with regard to writing as an empowering action, but it’s also a strong weapon for destruction as she reminded the audience: Adolph Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” is a book with a “word after a word after…”

On the much more joyful side of the evening, the Library Foundation, in its mission to support the city’s libraries and its citizens, bestowed this year’s 21^st Century Award for outstanding recent achievement on WBEZ’s radio journalist Natalie Y. Moore, author of “The South Side: A Portrait of Chicago and American Segregation.” Moore’s work is a powerful statement against the systemic reality of segregation that touches on poverty, unemployment, lack of equitable educational opportunities, malnutrition and violence.

An Evening of Non-Partisan “Politicking” For Books

The pursuit of all things literate is a slam dunk for any politician and takes a lot less practice. Mayor Emanuel spoke of the works of the C.P.L. and also in attendance were several members of the city council and state legislative representatives who have worked for the betterment of the community through education, fully supporting the mission of the library. The city’s libraries provide a newly configured system that serves the community from homework help to citizenship preparation, from early learning programs to adult education in technology. The goal of the city, the library and the Foundation is to establish a strong system of cooperation with the community at large.

The evening’s event raised $18 million dollars and provided an additional opportunity for participants to give further in support of the foundation’s labors which, over the past 30 years has raised $100 million dollars. Opportunities for ongoing support are always available to the public. One can do so and acquire more information about the works of the Foundation by visiting them online at the Chicago Public Library Foundation website. 

Joseph Anthony Rulli is a transplanted Hoosier, living in Chicago since the fall of 2006. A 1987 graduate of the University of Notre Dame (BA, History) and a 1992 graduate of St. Meinrad School of Theology (MDiv) he taught Social Studies, Religion, Philosophy and History at the high school level. He began writing as a career upon his arrival to his second city and has had two short stories published, a stage play performed, an electronic tour book published online and The Chicago Haymarket Affair (History Press/Arcadia Publishing, 2016) his first print book.