INDIANA UNIVERSITY PURDUE UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS

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FOUR NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED POETS FEATURED IN RUFUS REIBERG READING SERIES AT IUPUI

INDIANAPOLIS - Four nationally recognized poets will share their award-winning talents with the Indianapolis community as visiting writers for the IUPUI Spring 2001 Rufus Reiberg Reading Series.

The Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis School of Liberal Arts, English Department Creative Writing Program and the IUPUI University Library are collaborating to present author/poets Richard Jones, Reginald Shepherd, Patricia Goedicke and Ronald Wallace in the series endowed in honor of Dr. Rufus Reiberg, the late chair of the English Department.

Jones will appear at 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 25; Shepherd at 4 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 22; and Wallace at 4 p.m., Thursday, April 5. Goedicke will appear twice: at 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 7; and at 7 p.m., Thursday, March 8, as part of the IUPUI Women's Studies International Women's Day celebration.

All of the Rufus Reiberg Reading Series presentations are free to the public and will take place at the Lilly Auditorium located on the lower level of the IUPUI University Library, 755 W. Michigan St.

"We in Indianapolis are fortunate that we are able to hear so many outstanding poets and writers perform their work aloud," said Karen M. Kovacik, assistant professor of English and director of the Creative Writing Program.

IUPUI students and city residents describe listening to poetry and fiction during a Reiberg event as similar to "entering a magic space for an hour," and consider it an honor and a pleasure to speak with the author afterwards, Kovacik said.

Reiberg poet Richard Jones' most recent publication of poems was titled "The Blessing: New and Selected Poems." He is also the author of an earlier collection, "48 Questions." Jones also serves as editor of "Poetry East," and teaches at DePaul University.

Shepherd's first book, "Some are Drowning," won the 1993 Associated Writing Programs' Award for Poetry. Shepherd teaches at Cornell University. His book, "Wrong," was a selection of the Poetry Club of the Academy of American Poets.

Goedicke has had twelve volumes of poetry published, including "As Earth Begins to End" and "The Tongues We Speak: New and Selected Poems," which was named one of best books of the year by The New York Times. She teaches creative writing at the University of Montana.

Author Ronald Wallace has produced books of poetry, fiction and criticism, including his most recent, a collection of stories, "Quick Bright Things," and a volume of poems, "The Uses of Adversity." He has received four Council for Wisconsin Writers Book Awards and a Lynde and Harry Bradley Major Lifetime Achievement Award. Wallace is also the director of Creative Writing for the University of Wisconsin.

The Creative Writing Program is part of the Department of English in the IU School of Liberal Arts on the IUPUI campus. Through the department's partnership with the IUPUI University Library, funding for the annual reading series has been expanded.

Program supporters include the Indianapolis Foundation Library Fund and Associated Writing Programs. Copper Canyon Press, with funding from the Lila Wallace Readers' Digest Fund through the American Library Association's LIVE! At The Library 2000 program, also provided support.

" 'At the Library' programs are a wonderful way to humanize the words printed on the pages of the books in our library," said Marie T. Wright, Library liaison to the Department of English. "Supporting an existing reading series was logical, and we were fortunate to receive excellent funding."

Guest parking for those attending the reading series is available at the North Street Garage.

For further information, please call (317) 274-9831.

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