The Metropolitan Library System sends this information as posted below:
Literary Voices® 2026 will welcome acclaimed novelist and essayist Jonathan Franzen April 9 at 7 p.m. at the Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club. The annual dinner and author talk raises funds to support the Metropolitan Library System and its literacy programs across Oklahoma County. The conversation will be moderated by Rob Roensch, professor at Oklahoma City University.
For more than 20 years, Literary Voices® has brought nationally recognized authors to Oklahoma City while generating support for library programs, services and collections. Proceeds from the 2026 event will fund early learning initiatives, outreach to older adults like Library by Mail, staff education scholarships and community programming.
A key focus of the fundraiser is expanding Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Oklahoma County in partnership with the Friends of the Library. The program mails free, age-appropriate booksto over 19,000 children each month from birth to age five, helping families build home libraries and develop early reading skills. Literary Voices® is the largest local fundraiser supporting the program’s growth.
“Literacy is a key indicator of success for children, and every dollar raised is an investment in our community’s future,” said Erin Cowan, Literary Voices® committee member and Library Endowment Trust board member.
The evening will also include thepresentation of the Lee B. Brawner Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to libraries and early learning in Oklahoma.
Franzen is considered one of the leading American novelists of his generation. His 2001 novel, “The Corrections,” won the National Book Award for Fiction and became an international bestseller. His later novels — “Freedom,” “Purity” and “Crossroads” — were also national bestsellers and received critical acclaim. In addition to six novels, Franzen has written four nonfiction books and numerous essays for major publications.
Since 1986, the Library Endowment Trust has supported the continued growth of the Metropolitan Library System. Literary Voices® remains one of its signature fundraising events, giving the community an opportunity to celebrate literature while expanding access to books and literacy resources across Oklahoma County. For tickets and additional information, visit literaryvoices.org.
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