Author Spotlight: Vanessa Irvin Morris - Part II

As promised, here's Part II of my interview of author Vanessa Irvin Morris.  Enjoy!

Earlier this year you created, “The Street Lit Book Award Medal Booklist.”  Why did you create this award and why is this honor so different from book awards?

Author, Vanessa Irvin Morris

Well, I was noticing how literary awards come out during the first quarter of the year (for the most part – especially in library world) and that there was no recognition for literary excellence in Street Lit. Street lit is a prolifically published and read genre, yet there was no measure for acknowledging the best of the literature for various reading levels (best teen, best adult, etc.). I felt this was an unnecessary void. I also felt that the Street Lit Book Award Medal would be a good way to advocate for the literari-ness of Street Lit and to also act as a collection development tool for librarians seeking to adequately add titles to their collections.

The SLBAM Committee considers books that are popularly read and requested in libraries across the U.S. We have committee members from every region of the country. This way we get a good coverage of what patrons are requesting and reading. We take those lists of titles and read or re-read the books. We discuss the books. We then do a series of rounds to advocate for the Medal ranking.

Many people reading this interview would be surprised to hear that you are currently working on your Ph.D.  How were you able to write a book and work on your Ph.D. at the same time?

Morris at her 2011 Book Signing

Well they are both related. The book is about helping librarians (and teachers) understand Street Lit; my dissertation research is about learning how librarians read Street Lit and how their reading responses inform their professional practice.

What Street Lit. titles are on your bookshelf now?

Lorton Legends by Eyone Williams

Eviction Notice by K ’wan

The Robbin’ Hoods by Ericka Williams

I’m also looking to dig into TTW3 by Takeera Allen. If you go to my blog, at www.streetliterature.com, I have a Shelfari widget of all my current reads.

What's in the near future for you?  i.e. - speaking at conferences, webinars, etc.

The Reader's Advisory Guide to Street Literature, ALA Editions

There is going to be a public book launch event for The Readers Advisory Guide to Street Literature on Wednesday, November 30, 2011, at the VivantVivant Art Collection Gallery, located at Gallery Row, 60 North 2^nd Street (2^nd and Arch Streets) in Philadelphia, 6pm-9pm Eastern Time. It is going to be a wine and cheese event; free admission (and parking!). J We are going to offer an open forum for people to discuss the book and the genre. There are additional media plans in the works, to promote the book, but they are still tentative at this time.   You can read more about this event by checking the events page on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/events/116218215156764/.    You can click ‘LIKE” and “SHARE” to spread the word!

You can email me at  VANIRVINMORRIS@GMAIL.COM   to RSVP, friend me on Facebook (Vanessa Irvin Morris) or follow me on Twitter (@vanirvinmorris) for latest announcements..  See you there!

Morris is the Assistant Teaching Professor at The iSCHOOL at Drexel’s University’s College of Information Science and Technology in Philadelphia. She is the country’s foremost Street Literature Scholar and writes frequently on her blog, Street Literature.   Morris is the creator of “The Street Lit Book Award Medal Booklist.” 

Her book “The Reader’s Advisory Guide to Street Literature,” published by ALA Editions has recently been submitted for nomination consideration for the NAACP Image Award – Outstanding Literacy Work. 

Author Spotlight: Vanessa Irvin Morris

Today I am featuring my fellow Warrior Librarian, colleague and friend, Vanessa Irvin Morris on MissDomino.  Morris is the Assistant Teaching Professor at The iSCHOOL at Drexel’s University’s College of Information Science and Technology in Philadelphia. She is the country’s foremost Street Literature Scholar and writes frequently on her blog, Street Literature.  Her research of the genre is thorough and extensive.   
Morris is also the author of “The Reader’s Advisory Guide to Street Literature,” published by ALA Editions.  She is also the creator of “The Street Lit Book Award Medal Booklist.” and explores what Street Lit does to and for us, and what we do to and for it.  This interview will be presented in two parts for your reading enjoyment. 

When did you fall in love with Street Lit and why is it one of your most favorite genres to read?

As a kid, I was exposed to Street Lit during the DonaldGoines/Iceberg Slim period. In 1999, I was reintroduced to the genre by new teens coming in to the library asking for titles and teaching me about this new wave in the genre. Street Lit is one of my favorite genres because of its honesty and unapologetic storytelling. Street lit tells stories from a space of courageous truth, and I like that, and I respect that. Also, I was born and raised in the inner-city, so as a reader, I can relate to the stories, as well.

Morris at her book release party, Nov. 2011

I read your book, "The Reader's Advisory Guide to Street Literature" and really enjoyed it.    I know that you have written articles, blogged and spoke at conferences on the subject. What prompted you to finally write a book about Street Lit?

I felt there was a real need for a text that fully unpacks the genre for educators.  I was seeing how teachers and librarians were resisting the genre while its readers, teens and adults, were embracing it.  I wrote the book to provide a bridge of understanding between readers of this genre and the educators who serve them.

Readers often think that Street Literature began with Claude Brown’s "Manchild in a Promised Land" (1965).  In your book you discuss the roots of Street Literature which may be a surprise to many.  Can you explain this further?

In the book I talk about how previous generations also had literature that told the gritty realities of street life. I talk about how this brand of street literature that we ostracize today actually has canonical counterparts in Western literary tradition. I date street literature in novel format back to the 18^th century.

Vanessa, what frustrates you most about the critics, librarians or those who don't understand Street Lit.?

What frustrates me most is that people actually think they have the right to determine what qualifies as literature and what does not, for whole populations of readers. As a public librarian, such an elitist stance astounds me. Of course we all have our preferences in what we deem appropriate or interesting to read. However, I don’t agree with the idea that just because I am a librarian or a teacher or an author or whatever, that I can say this literature is bad or this literature is better or this literature is good for others. If that were the case, I would personally dictate that the entire horror genre be banned, because that genre is not my particular preference to read or engage. But you see how silly that sounds, right? I guess I am most frustrated at the silliness of some of the anti-street lit rhetoric that is out there.

Stay tuned for Part II, coming Friday, November 25, 2011

Back On My Square

Books Turned Back In After The Fall Intersession Break

It's been 6 months since I've posted to MissDomino.   You can just say, I've been busy, BUSY!  During this time, I've had some wonderful experiences that were thought provoking and life changing.  These 'epiphanies' will be shared with you within the next couple of weeks.  Since April, so much as happened in the world of Libraries/Books/Technology:

1. G. Neri wins the 2011 Coretta Scott King Honor Award for his release, "Yummy:  The Last Days of a Southside Shorty"

2. Wahida Clark's debut of her new teen series, "Wahida Clark Presents Young Adult"

3. Michael Cart's release of, "Young Adult Literature:  From Romance to Realism"

4. Earl Sewell does it again with his sixth release in the Keysha series called, "Mya's Choice"

5. Chicago Public Library Librarians and Supporters fight against library cuts

6. A new petition to the Obama Administration ensuring all school libraries are properly staffed, open and available for children every day.

7. finally....will iPads outnumber desktop computers in schools by 2016??? 

I think you would all agree, much has happened.  The one thing that hasn't changed is how busy I am at Wendell Phillips Academy High School and my commitment to servicing my teen patrons.  As I always say, "Power to the people, and Power to the Books."