Literary Landmarks

mark twain plaque The Literary Landmarks Association was founded in 1986 by former FOLUSA president Frederick G. Ruffner to encourage the dedication of historic literary sites. The first dedication was at Slip F18 in Bahia Mar, Florida, the anchorage of the Busted Flush, the houseboat home of novelist John D. MacDonald's protagonist Travis McGee.

In 1989, the Literary Landmark project became an official FOLUSA committee. Literary Landmarks continues with United for Libraries, the division of ALA created by the joining of FOLUSA and ALTA.

Dedications have included homes of famous writers (Tennessee Williams, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, William Faulkner), libraries and museum collections, literary scenes (such as John's Grill in San Francisco, immortalized by Dashiell Hammett, and Willa Cather's Prairie near Red Cloud, Nebraska), and even "Grip" the Raven, formerly the pet of Charles Dickens and inspiration to Edgar Allan Poe and now presiding (stuffed) at the Rare Books Department of the Free Library of Philadelphia. The list of dedicated sites continues to grow.

library of congress literary landmark dedication Local Friends groups, State Friends, Trustees, and libraries may apply to dedicate a Literary Landmark. When an appropriate landmark is identified, the sponsoring group plans a dedication ceremony and applies to United for Libraries for official recognition. Full details of planning a Literary Landmark dedication can be found on the PDF Designating a Literary Landmark.

How to Dedicate a Literary Landmark in Your Community Webinar

United for Libraries will present the free webinar “How to Dedicate a Literary Landmark in Your Community” from 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, April 25. Join Rocco Staino, director of the Empire State Center for the Book, and Karen Neurohr, who has facilitated the dedication of several Literary Landmarks in Oklahoma, to learn about the program. Find out how to select sites in your community, what to plan for and how to get the community and media involved. Register online for this free webinar; registration is limited to 100. This webinar will be presented with Internet audio only. You will need a computer with speakers or headphones as well as Internet access. Those who cannot attend the webinar live can access a recording of the webinar after April 25.