Explanation
This ordinance authorizes a grant agreement between the Ohioana Library Association and Columbus City Council for $10,000 in support of the Ohioana Book Festival.
The Ohioana Book Festival is free and open to the public and takes place on Saturday, April 8th, 2017 from 10:30AM-5:00PM at the Sheraton Columbus at Capitol Square. The Ohioana Library Association, a non-profit organization founded in 1929 by Ohio First Lady Martha Kinney Cooper, collects, preserves, and celebrates Ohio literature. The Ohioana Book Festival, first presented in 2007, is the library’s largest program.
The goal of the festival is to celebrate Ohio writers and literature; to encourage reading, writing, and literacy; and to bring together in Columbus readers of all ages from around the state with authors and the community at large for a week of stimulating, fun, educational, and entertaining literary programs and activities.
Last year’s festival drew more than 3,000 attendees from 5 states to downtown Columbus. This year, nearly 120 Ohio authors, including more than 30 from Columbus and Franklin County will be presented. These authors include winners of major literary prizes, as well as New York Times and USA Today best-selling authors.
As evidence of the quality of the event, the Ohioana Book Festival was nominated by the Greater Columbus Arts Council for its 2008 Artistic Excellence Award and in 2011 for the Ohio Governor’s Award for the Arts.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Title
To authorize City Council to enter into a grant agreement with the Ohioana Library Association to support the Ohioana Book Festival; and to authorize an appropriation and expenditure of $10,000.00 within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund. ($10,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Ohioana Library Association organizes the annual Ohioana Book Festival, the largest literary event in the state celebrating Ohio writers and literature; and
WHEREAS, nearly 100...
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