This is the first official post of the new live VLA web site powered by the VLA Blogs. And yes, there is still much to do in migrating the old content to the new site.
The basic concept is that the new VLA web site dynamic content will be published via the new VLA Blogs. While anyone can subscribe to the blog and post comments, Council members will be promoted to author status. This will allow them to to post to their blog categories and simultaneously to the web site via simple web forms.
You can hear all the details in my Friday Nov. 10 Conference Presentation Blogs, Wikis, and Listservs, Oh My! to learn how these new tools will revolutionize VLA’s Web site.
I could think of no better posting to inaugurate the new site than to celebrate one of the most important American literary works. Howl and Other Poems was controversial and under attack since its first publication in October 1956. The celebration of Howl and Other Poems is emblematic of the story of Libraries and Intellectual Freedom. The the complelling history of Ginsberg’s Howl spans its writing, editing, publishing, and ultimately defending the landmark poem within a broader context of obscenity issues and censorship of literary works. -(sph)
This year poetry lovers across the country and around the world celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the first publication of Howl and Other Poems by Allen Ginsberg with readings and events. To commemorate the publishing of the book by City Lights with nearly 1,000,000 copies in print we present Howl on Trial: The Battle for Free Expression. Here is the inside story of editing, publishing, and defending the landmark poem within a broader context of obscenity issues and censorship of literary works. The City Lights edition of Howl and Other Poems, Number Four in the City Lights Pocket Poets Series, will continue to be available, as it has been all along, in the same format as when it was first published fifty years ago.
Planning a Howl celebration in your neck of the woods? Let City Lights know! They’ll be happy to help spread the word. Email dates, times and events to us at howl at citylights.com.