News Release

San Francisco – Author Nikki Grimes, 2003 Coretta Scott King Book Award Recipient, will headline this year’s Effie Lee Morris Lecture. For the 8th consecutive year, the San Francisco Public Library in association with the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library and the San Francisco Chapter of the Women’s National Book Association have worked together to bring notable guest lecturers to the Bay Area.

Grimes, a New York native, has written more than 50 books for children at all grade levels with multicultural themes, as well as poetry collections and stories on historical figures. Two of her books have been recognized by the American Library Association as ALA Notables; two are Coretta Scott King Award Honor Books, one is an American Bookseller Pick of the List and another is a Bank Street College Book of the Year.

“We welcome the public to this event, especially children, as it is often a first real glimpse into the process of book making and writing,” said Toni Bernardi, Chief of the Office of Children and Youth Services for the San Francisco Public Library. Previous guest lectures include: Laurence Yep (Yes, Virginia, There is a Godzilla); Ashley Bryan (Deep Like the Rivers: Black American Poetry and Spirituals); Alma Flor Ada (I); Milly Lee (Hay Choy: A Feast for Readers); Daniel and Robert San Souci (Creative Collaberation with the Picture Book: An Inside View). Nikki Grimes will join the San Francisco Public Library on April 25, 2004 in the Main Library’s Koret Auditorium from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.; reception and book signing immediately following.

Effie Lee Morris, San Francisco Public Library children's services coordinator, 1963 - 1977, is one of the pioneer children's services leaders in the country. She was responsible for the development of the broad range of services available to San Francisco children today. “The first lecture was in 1998 to honor Ms. Morris’ career; the conversations on children’s literature have continued due in large part to the commitments of Ms. Morris, the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library and the San Francisco Chapter of the Women’s National Book Association and their dedication to San Francisco’s youngest constituents,” said Toni Bernardi

The first lecture was initiated through a gift from the San Francisco Chapter of the Women’s National Book Association to honor Morris. The Library and its users enjoyed the forum so much that the Library made a request to the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library to help fund an annual event. Generously, the Friends have been a major underwriter of the event and thus have kept a dialogue going between Bay Area residents and children’s authors/poets. “We are honored to be able to recognize the wonderful career of Effie Lee Morris by supporting this unique event,” said Martín Gómez, Executive Director, Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.

The Library also has an Effie Lee Morris Historical and Research Collection at the Children's Center of the Main Library. In 1964, Morris originated the Children's Historical and Research Collection and was conceived as a compilation of outdated or out-of-print books considered important to children's literature and books containing ethnic stereotypes. In 1981 the Library officially renamed the collection after Morris. Over the years, the collection has been expanded to meet the needs of Bay Area researchers.

In conjunction with this year’s lecture, the Fisher Children’s Center on the 2nd Floor of the Main Library will showcase manuscripts by Nikki Grimes on loan from the Kerlan Collection at the University of Minnesota. The exhibition will run from March 8- April 28. For more information, please call 415-557-4277 or visit www.sfpl.org.