We asked bookmobile drivers about the preferences of Utah’s readers — and we weren’t exactly surprised to find out that the biggest demand came from kids. Kids’ books > Of course. The state’s public libraries, including bookmobile patrons, rank first in the nation for the number of children’s books borrowed per capita. That’s about 16 million children’s books checked out …
Stocking shelves, truck whispering and technical support are all part of a bookmobile driver’s job in the digitalage. By Ellen Fagg Weist | Photography by Faun Jackson Urban readers — that is, Utahns who live near city and county library branches — might consider bookmobiles a relic of their childhoods. Or maybe the setting for a “gentle reads” novel, the …
In the voices of the ambitious “West,” Utah Poet Laureate Paisley Rekdal is writing a soundtrack to a distinctively American story. By Ellen Fagg Weist | Photography by Austen Diamond If you know where to look, the ghosts of Chinese workers appear everywhere on Utah’s Transcontinental Railroad byway. On a warm November morning, I’m standing with poet Paisley Rekdal in …
It may have been the “Year of the Train” and tax reform for the Utah Legislature, but they also found the time (and money) to begin a significant change to cultural funding, push forward construction of a storage solution for the artifact and arts collections, and even add a seventh division to the Department of Heritage & Arts. Overall, the …
In the wake of the horrific attack at a New Zealand mosque, Governor Gary R. Herbert has called for all Utahns to rally around their Muslim neighbors. “We do not tolerate hatred in our communities,” Gov. Herbert said in his statement on Friday. “During this time of pain and mourning, I hope all Utahns will reach out in love to …
Budget bills approved by state legislators in a flurry of action Tuesday provides for measured short-term growth while setting the stage for a comprehensive tax reform effort. The new spending approved by the House and Senate included all of the requests made by the Department of Heritage & Arts. Among those funded requests are ongoing funding for a collections manager …
Cultural organizations throughout Utah will receive a nearly six-fold increase in funding support under the budget proposed by Gov. Gary Herbert on Dec. 6. In his budget proposal for fiscal year 2020, Herbert has included $6 million for grants that will go to arts organizations, museums, and other cultural groups. The funding anchors his focus on elevating the quality of …