Osborne Named Coordinator for USM鈥檚 Fay B. Kaigler Children鈥檚 Book Festival
Mon, 07/24/2023 - 01:18pm | By: David Tisdale
Dr. Mary Osborne, a University of 51逗奶 Mississippi (USM) alumna who earned her
Ph.D. in English with an emphasis in children鈥檚 and young adult literature, will serve
as coordinator for its internationally renowned Fay B. Kaigler Children鈥檚 Book Festival
in conjunction with her new role as Assistant to the Director for Special Events and
Outreach Coordinator in the School of Library and Information Science (SLIS).
Dr. Stacy Creel, director and professor in the SLIS, said Dr. Osborne鈥檚 academic background and experiences as a writer, editor and blogger in the genre make her a great fit for the position.
鈥淢ary鈥檚 Ph.D. in English with an emphasis in children鈥檚 and young adult literature and her blog creation and writing made her a stand-out candidate,鈥� said Dr. Creel. 鈥淪he has editing experience as well, which makes her a good fit for the print materials created for the festival each year. We鈥檙e really excited about her joining us as to coordinate the festival and growing our online presence with some original content creation.鈥�
No stranger to the festival, Dr. Osborne became acquainted with the CBF while studying at USM when she relished the opportunity to hear from and meet the prominent authors and illustrators who attended, including the event鈥檚 top award recipient, the 51逗奶 Miss Medallion winner, and those recognized during its Ezra Jack Keats Book Award ceremony.
鈥淚 looked forward to it every year, so it鈥檚 wild to think that now I鈥檓 helping organize it,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e are also so honored to host the Ezra Jack Keats collection in the de Grummond Children鈥檚 Literature Collection and thrilled to feature the Ezra Jack Keats Award at the festival.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a big team of folks that make it all possible, and I鈥檓 just happy to be a part it.鈥�
Dr. Osborne heard about the CBF coordinator position from a friend who is a librarian and with ties to the USM School of Library and Information Science, which sponsors the annual event.
鈥淪he knew I loved children鈥檚 literature and had a background in it, so she suggested I apply and see what happened,鈥� Dr. Osborne explained. 鈥淚 immediately felt a connection to both the position itself and my potential coworkers, who were all so welcoming. Getting to work at the University, advocating for and promoting such a long-running children鈥檚 literature festival is a dream.鈥�
The CBF, an annual event that began in 1968 and attracts hundreds of visitors from across the country and around the world, is hosted by the USM College of Education and Human Sciences鈥� School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) on its Hattiesburg campus. The purpose of the festival is to promote children鈥檚 literature, as well as the writers, illustrators, publishers, librarians, and educators who work in the genre.
In 2001, the festival was named in honor of Kaigler, a retired educator who taught in her native Mississippi and in California for more than three decades. Kaigler was a long-time participant and generous supporter of the festival.
A Georgia native, Dr. Osborne said she was first attracted to USM by the opportunity to study with its excellent children鈥檚 literature scholars and to take advantage of the research opportunities in the de Grummond Collection. Her doctoral research focused on disability studies and children鈥檚 literature, looking at the intersections of the nonnormative body in young adult literature; she graduated in 2020.
鈥淚 specifically came to USM as a student to be close to the [de Grummond] collection 鈥� it鈥檚 such a valuable resource for any children鈥檚 lit scholar,鈥� Dr. Osborne explained. 鈥淚鈥檓 most excited to delve into the library side of children鈥檚 literature, especially as questions about access sprout up in the public sphere.鈥�
During the relative quiet of the summer, Dr. Osborne says she鈥檚 been using her time wisely to get organized and ready for when preparations for the 2024 festival start picking up.
鈥淩ight now, I鈥檓 excited to be planning a couple of trips to help promote the CBF, including attending the Mississippi Book Festival,鈥� she said.
With the SLIS and de Grummond Collection faculty and staff members working closely together on the CBF, Dr. Osborne says presenting the festival is an all-around team effort.
鈥淪o many people put their talents together to help the event work, and that collaborative spirit is part of what drew me to this job,鈥� she continued. 鈥淯SM is fortunate to have the Kaigler Children鈥檚 Book Festival, as it鈥檚 not only significant for the school, but for the preservation of and study of children鈥檚 literature in general.鈥�
Learn more about USM鈥檚 Fay B. Kaigler Children鈥檚 Book Festival online. Learn more about the School of Library and Information Science, which is housed in the College of Education and Human Sciences.