BELOVED CHILDREN`S AUTHOR KATE DICAMILLO TO SPEAK IN

Contact:
Carrie Lane
Youth Services Coordinator
22 Wabash Street, Suite 202
Pittsburgh, PA 15220
412.921.1123 ext. 303
lanec@einetwork.net
For Immediate Release
BELOVED CHILDREN’S AUTHOR KATE DICAMILLO TO SPEAK IN PITTSBURGH
Visit Culminates a Five-Month Series of Events Promoting Literacy, Creativity and Books
PITTSBURGH (April 28, 2015) — The Allegheny County Library Association (ACLA) and Pittsburgh
Arts & Lectures (PA&L) are launching “Stories Connect Us,” a five-month series of activities to
encourage children to engage with literature and share their creativity. As a capstone to this series of
community programs, Kate DiCamillo, noted author and 2014-15 National Ambassador for Young
People’s Literature, will appear on October 15, 2015 at 7 p.m. at the Carnegie Library Lecture Hall in
Oakland.
Beginning in May and continuing through October, ACLA and PA&L will partner to assist organizations
in planning program activities around the theme, “Stories Connect Us.” Schools, libraries and out-ofschool-time organizations can all be part of the Our Stories, Our Community project through a simple,
free registration. More information can be accessed on the website:
www.aclalibraries.org/storiesconnectuspgh.
There are many opportunities for participation including: hosting events connected to Flora & Ulysses or
any of Kate DiCamillo’s other titles, serving as community centers for children to create and submit
projects for the countywide contest, promoting the October event with Kate DiCamillo, and sharing
pictures and testimonials about projects and programs on the Our Stories, Our Community website.
Eryn Morgan, Director of Marketing at PA&L, explains, “The Our Stories, Our Community project is
connecting Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures to libraries and schools across Allegheny County and is furthering
our mission to connect world-class authors telling great stories with Pittsburgh’s readers. Through this
partnership with ACLA, Pittsburgh’s youth will be encouraged to engage with great literature throughout
this spring and summer, and will have the opportunity to be inspired by Ms. DiCamillo this October. We
are excited by all the possibilities this project holds for Pittsburgh’s young readers!”
Students in grades 3-6 interested in participating in a countywide project contest must register at a
participating local library, school, or out-of-school-time organization. A list of participating sites is
available on the Our Stories, Our Community website. Projects can be a drawing, short story, poem or
other approved medium; they must express a personal connection with one of Kate DiCamillo’s book, a
suggested read-a-like (also available on the website), or the “Stories Connect Us” theme; and they must
be an original work by the student or a team of no more than five students that is creative and unique.
Projects are due to the local library, school or other participating organization by Tuesday, September 15.
Five winners will be chosen and announced at the culminating event at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
on Thursday, October 15. Winners will receive a private meet and greet session with Kate DiCamillo
before the live evening event on October 15, 2015, as well as a certificate of achievement. The aim is to
connect students, educators and parents from across the county through this culminating live event.
For more information about participating or creating a project for Our Stories, Our Communities, visit the
project website at www.aclalibraries.org/storiesconnectuspgh. Single tickets for the live program with
Kate DiCamillo will go on sale September 15th at pittsburghlectures.org or by phone at 412.622.8866.
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About the Allegheny County Library Association
Collaboration. Cooperation. Coordination.
The Allegheny County Library Association (ACLA) is a system of 45 independent public libraries with
more than 70 locations that work together, share resources and cooperate to better serve county residents.
These libraries are community connectors providing opportunities for personal and professional
development through access to content and experiences for all ages. ACLA libraries support education
and exploration while developing early literacy skills, school readiness and lifelong learning.
About Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
To Engage our Community in Literacy and Learning
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is supporting individual achievement and strengthening the power of
community. Through the community’s investment, the Library is enhancing the lives of people in the
greater Pittsburgh region with dynamic and diverse resources such as creative learning programs for
children and teens, job and career assistance for our community's workforce, and free computer and
Internet access for all. Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh builds community, enables learning, provides
access and values people.
About Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures:
Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures is a non-profit literary arts organization whose mission is to connect
renowned authors and their work with the community and, in doing so, foster a love of literature
and elevate our civic discourse. Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures produces the Monday Night Lectures
sponsored by The Drue Heinz Trust, PA&L Kids and Teens, and a variety of other literary arts
events each year.