This episode highlights the 2026 Michigan Notable Books, featuring works by Michigan authors or those that capture the spirit of The Great Lake State. Guests Adam Oster and Mindy Babarskis from the Library of Michigan share insights into the program, its selection process, and the diverse genres included. The conversation also previews the upcoming Night of Notables event, celebrating these authors and their contributions to Michigan’s literary community.

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Event Information: Night of Notables Celebration 2026

Date: Saturday, April 18, 2026

Location: The Library of Michigan : 702 W. Kalamazoo St., Lansing, MI 48911.

Parking is free in the Butler Visitor Lot southwest of the Michigan Library & Historical Center. Please enter off of W. Kalamazoo St. The suggested dress is business dressy. Light appetizers and beverages are included in your event registration.

Website: Michigan Notable Book Program

Website: Library of Michigan

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Lansing Community College Library

You are listening to Written in the Stars: Books and Beyond, where hosts from the LCC Library sit down with writers, publishers, entrepreneurs and literary enthusiasts of all types. Join us, as we explore the very heart of the written word.

Welcome to Written in the Stars Books and Beyond. I'm John Szilagyi. Beside me is my co host, Robin Moore.

Hello.

Mindy is a reference librarian and helps coordinate the Michigan Notable Books program. Welcome back Adam and Mindy.

Yeah, we're excited to be here.

So glad to meet you all. We'll see you again, Mindy and meet you, Adam. Alrighty.

So first question, the name Michigan Notable Books is pretty self explanatory.

Yes.

But what qualifies a book to be considered for Michigan Notable Books?

That's a great question. So to be considered for a Michigan Notable Book, it needs to either be written by a Michigan author or about Michigan or the Great Lakes.

And sometimes it'll be a combination of those two. And then it also needs to be published in the year before we honor it. So or I should say copyrighted in the year before we're honor it's honored.

Okay.

And so those are kind of the main things. There's some things that we're looking for like you know, quality, making sure it's not a second edition.

So you know, we want to make sure this is the first time this is coming out. Cuz reissues, those can be honored in other ways too.

So yeah, it's good to know are.

There any requirements for subject matter or what kind of book it is or anything like that?

No genres.

Yeah, it can run the gamut. We can have fiction, nonfiction, poetry, memoirs, children's books, children's books, illustrated or juvenile fiction. It can run the gamut.

And I think just something about just the program and the books that we receive is you never know what's going to come. Some years it might be heavy with more memoirs or other years it might be a bit more creative writing or non fiction fiction.

And I think that's one of the really great things about the program itself is that like you never know what's going to come each year. And it puts people on the spot like Mindy who are on the committee. They've got a lot to go through because you're talking anywhere from 300 to more.

Usually around 300. Yeah, I would say. And you know, we're always trying to like we're seeking out books.

If we hear about a book that's about Michigan or by a Michigan author, I'll like go up, reach out to the publisher and try to get copies. You know, we're. I'm sending stuff out to publishers saying, send us what you got.

You know, I'm really trying to get as cast as wide of a net as possible. You know, that means self published. That means from in a big publisher. That means, you know, a Michigan press.

It's really trying to get that coverage of Michigan authors.

I love that.

Yeah.

So I was gonna ask you, can people nominate books or can.

Absolutely. Yeah, I love that. Okay, so reach out to us. Oh, don't worry. Cause I rely on that. Frankly. It's like, you know, there's no way you can.

One person can keep track of that all. So I need that like network of people looking out and saying, oh, I saw this book and sending it to me.

So I got you. I got you.

Is there like a form or an email address, address on the website?

There is.

I'm gonna text you.

With the Michigan Notable Books website. There's Michigan Notable Books, Michigan.gov that's the email. That's the shared email account.

So multiple people look at that and we're looking for submissions and different things. But if you forget that, if that's too many words, also librarianmichigan.gov works too.

All righty. So Michigan Notable Books includes several events. Tell us about the different events that make up this program.

Oh, yeah, I mean, it's cool. It's a year long program. So April 18th is our night for notables. And that's where we really honor the authors. We get to have a keynote.

Come and speak. So Angeline Boul, who did the Firekeeper's Daughter and a couple other books as well, she is going to be the keynote this year.

It's at the Library of Michigan. Really cool event. And then we have the book tour.

So the author tour and any of the authors from the list who can participate, we send them to libraries across the state. And this year we extended the time frame.

So instead of being April through June, which it used to be in the past, it's now April through August that these tours are going on. So actually this week we're going to be publishing the list of author tour stops, like probably tomorrow.

Tomorrow or Saturday.

Is that right? Yeah.

As soon as Mindy gets me the list, I'LL put it on the website.

Yeah, exactly. I had to wrangle a few dates from libraries today, and that's going to be in the Upper Peninsula to Detroit. I mean, all over the state.

Yeah, there's 50 locations. And something that we also added into it, too, just a few years ago is that we also added what we call virtual authors conversations.

So if you aren't able to make. Make it to any of the events, you still can look for.

And we film these typically towards the later end of the summer, early fall, so that people can hear.

Typically they run about a half hour to 45 minutes conversation between either one of us that work at the Library of Michigan or some of the people that are on the committee that will interview some of the authors. And it's that kind of behind the scenes. If we were pulling out our old DVDs, it'd be those old fun. That type of thing that you'd find on there.

Little commentary, you know.

Yeah.

And those are a lot of fun. They really are.

You learn more about, I think, aspects of the author's books and the writing style that maybe just don't come up during the regular events that they're participating in.

Yeah, it's more about them as the author and their writing process than it is about necessarily plot points in the book.

Yeah.

So it's a fun. Like a different angle to the whole story.

Yeah. So the author tour, I'm really intrigued by that.

So do you.

So you go to different libraries or different. Just spaces and just. Can people. Are you on a bus? Can people go with you? Or what does this look like?

So it's not actually us. Yeah, right.

What we do is that we will put out an application form early on once the books and titles have been announced. Mindy's very good at wrangling the authors so that we can determine which ones of them will be available to be on the tour.

But any library in Michigan can apply. Schools can apply. We've also encouraged other places like bookstores and museums, but it's predominantly libraries especially.

We're trying to get authors into areas that, you know, maybe they don't necessarily have the ability to bring in authors of this caliber. Yeah, it could be a small township library that's in rural Tuscola county or somewhere up in Dickinson. Ironwood area up in the Up.

Not familiar, but okay, just go up.

To the UP and head straight west and you'll run into Ironwood.

Yes, it's there.

They actually have a visit this year, too.

Yes.

And so then that that library would then work with the author to find a time that works within that time frame. And all we do is, well, the Library of Michigan Foundation. Thank you. Nonprofit that supports us.

They will then cut the check to the authors and say, okay, you're doing four visits. Here's the check for those four visits. And they get a certain amount for each visit.

And so it's also nice, too, because some authors can really only do one visit. Some are like, send me anywhere and I'll do 4, 5. So shout out to Carlos Fuentes, who did the vacation.

He's doing, I think, five visits yet all over the state. So, you know, some of them are like, send me everywhere. Can you. Yeah.

Since you brought up the vacation, can you tell us a little bit more about that book and kind of why you wanted to add it to this year's list?

Yeah, it was. So when we talk about Michigan notable books, like, we are very intentional about the word notable. And what that is, is it's unique.

It's something that really just speaks to Michigan and the people, or it's just, you know, the story is just so engaging. So there's different reasons where it might be notable.

Really what we found with the vacation was there really hasn't been anything written about a teenage migrant workers experience in the cherry orchards of Traverse City from this kind of perspective where it's. It's written, it's him retelling experience as a teenager, and it's just so tender. But it's done in a way that it's like.

It feels like you're reading his diary.

So it's something that a youth could read that they would connect with, but it's also something that adults could read to really get that, oh, I remember, you know, being a teenager and that sort of coming of age, but also understanding this experience. And it's just. It's such a tender story, and it's his personal life story. He has some pictures of his family and their experiences.

And, I mean, I think it's just such a unique experience, too, of this teenage migrant worker experience. But he's coming from a. Like, it was not something that they did every summer. This was. They did this once, you know, a couple summers.

It wasn't like this was their life all the time. So he's also got this insider, outsider perspective at the same time. And he's just a lovely person. He'll bring you cherries.

I love that.

I know.

I can't wait to. I want to read that book, John. I'm going to Tell you why.

Because I visited Traverse City for the first time last year and I had never been there before. So you just speaking about it, I'm just intrigued to get this book and to read it because I thought it was a beautiful little town.

It's gorgeous.

I think that's also becoming, I don't want to call a fad, but like an opportunity that people have, especially with a lot of the books on the notable books list. Because you can read about these places and most of the locations are relatively close that you can get to that.

If you read about something that's going on in Detroit, it's not that far away to get to something that's in West Michigan. Yeah, the Upper Peninsula is a little ways away. But once you get across the bridge.

Road trip. I know.

Well. And it's amazing too, talking about Traverse City. You get to hear about it from this really like, sweet perspective, coming of age story.

But then now you also have this Magnetic north, which is another book on the list.

And he's talking about some of the challenges that Traverse City specifically or that region and the north is really facing with having you because it's so beautiful and people are just drawn to this area. You're now having issues with what we would call gentrification when it comes to an urban area. Same issue.

People are being priced out by people who are vacationing there for tourists. Yeah, tourists. So it's like the people who live there full year round are like, we can't afford to live here. We can't afford.

You know, the traffic is terrible. Like the infrastructure wasn't built for this.

And like just today I was reading an article in Bridge Michigan that they were looking at what counties you saw growth. And a lot of it was west Michigan around Traverse City. It's exploding. And in northern Michigan. And you know, it's a great thing.

They're like, we want people to come here. We want people to see this beautiful place. But is there a way that we can do this responsibly that people can afford to live? Yes. So fascinating too.

So for someone who's never attended Night of the Notables before, what would you say makes this event a must attend experience?

Oh, man. I think it's the opportunity to interact firsthand with some of these authors.

Well, you're getting nearly all of them there together, so it's at least 2/3. I'd say it can be anywhere from 14 to 16.

There's always a few that can't always make it because of other schedule conflicts or maybe they're from out of state, but we're pretty lucky that so many of them are able to come and that they want to come, that they know that this is a night that is honoring their works.

And it's also an opportunity for people to see the Library of Michigan and see all that kind of goes into this whole mechanism for making all of this happen. People that are on the committee will be there. Some of the libraries that will be hosting these people will also be there.

I walk into the Library of Michigan every day, and it's always amazing. And it's even more amazing when it's a program like this.

Yeah, yeah.

And you have a great keynote speaker every year. We've had a great keynote speaker. Stephen Mac Jones is one of our keynote speakers.

Yeah, he gave one of the shortest keynotes, but it was so dang good. People heard that and they're like, yeah, that was great. And they're like, oh, I guess that wasn't very long. But nobody cared, right?

Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness.

Speaking about the keynote speaker, why did you choose the author that you chose this year, and why are you excited about her speaking this year?

I mean, Angeline Boulley, if anybody's read Firekeeper's Daughter or the other two books in her series, I mean, they were just. They're so engaging.

I remember she was at an event that I was also working with, and she talked about how Firekeeper's Daughter, the way she described it, was Indigenous. 21 Jump street and I was like, that is perfect. You know, it's fun.

You're interested, but it's also, like, really helping you understand a lot of issues facing the indigenous communities, specifically in Sault Ste. Marie, which is where it's, you know, set. But, I mean, throughout the state and actually throughout the country. Right.

It's a lot of these issues and, like. And also not just issues, but cultural pride and, you know, just importance of different things. So it's a. It's so interesting. They're great books.

And also just her perspective, I think, is so needed. And she is a great speaker. So, you know, that always helps, too.

Yeah, Yeah.

I was going to ask her.

I was going to ask you if you had heard her speak before, because I know especially in the recent years, there's kind of been people doing a lot of different things for the keynote from. You mentioned Steven's keynote to. Oh, was it Josh's, where he. Yeah, yeah.

Adam's favorite.

Yeah.

So.

So I wondered if she had anything fun planned that you knew of.

Well, we're gonna do. So last year, we did this as well with Curtis Chin, who another great book. Everything I Learned, I learned in a Chinese restaurant. It's the Michigan.

The great read for Michigan Humanities, too. So. And I think he'll be in tomorrow or Saturday.

He's gonna be in Lansing.

He's gonna be Lansing up here in the next Saturday. But we did an interview style with him, and people really loved that. And so we said, you know, let's do that again.

So we're having someone interview Angeline, and so just kind of having this neat conversation. It's just. I don't know, it's a lot more. You know, people really love that. It's warm, it's engaging, and it just. It seems to work well.

So that's kind of what we've got planned.

So I guess one other kind of serious thing this past year when it came to the Library of Michigan is our state librarian, Randy Riley passed away. And I know he was really instrumental in at least growing the Michigan Notable Books Program.

So could you tell us a little bit about, like, what Randy's role and kind of legacy was when it. Especially when it comes to this program?

I think the best summation in an answer for that is this program would not be what it is without Randy Riley. He was somebody who. I've seen multiple interactions with him with. With authors. He always, you know, would take the time to meet with every author. He.

He tried as as much as what he could to go to events that the audience, whether it was, you know, somebody who was currently on the tour or if there was anybody else who was on a past. Who was a past Michigan Notable Book honoree. It just. He lived and breathed the Michigan Notable Books Program.

And, you know, there's so much else beyond him, just with his time, both as state librarian and his previous positions that he had at the Library of Michigan. He was there for almost 37 years, and like that, it just, you know, there's very few people that have been able to inhabit that at our institution.

And we. We will be very much missing his presence, but at the same time, be honoring his legacy and time as part of it. I know John.

You probably interacted with him a few times there.

Yes, I had the opportunity to meet him on many occasions,.

And such a warm personality. If you wanted anybody to be able to be your state librarian, it was Randy Ryzen.

Hey. Yeah. Wow.

And I know another thing that Randy did a lot of and really kind of pride himself in was going to all of the libraries in Michigan, you know, trying to get to all of the libraries in Michigan. And, you know, you've already talked kind of about the tour, but I feel like the tour is kind of representative of that too.

I know Randy would try to go to, like, small libraries whenever he was anywhere, you know, and I do see that kind of in the tour as well.

And so, yeah, I'm pretty sure that the tour became the thing that it is because Randy said, we're gonna do this.

Yes, yes. Well, and even just in general, that us at the Library of Michigan try our best to make it the libraries all over.

And I think one of the more favorite ones stories that I've heard of Randy, it wasn't for notable books, but it was for a small library in Breckenridge that wasn't even what they were doing is that they were opening up a new community room and they were having a. A ribbon cutting. And there is a picture of Randy there with the big scissors cutting it open. And, you know, the crowd there.

And Breckenridge is very small. It's this little rural area in Gratiot county. And. And, you know, he went there to do it.

And one of the more recent, recent ones he did was when Curtis Township became their own library system. And he wasn't there just for a day.

There was Randy Riley, like, almost weak because they had coffee with your state librarian, and there was a sign that had, welcome state librarian Randy Riley with glitter on when he came, you know, and Randy was always that sort of like, shucks kind of guy a little bit with it. And when we heard about the. The glitter, we were like, ah, okay, now we know why you're going out.

So what are your hopes and dreams for the program in the future?

Yes, I mean, there's so much. I Definitely the tour, I think, is. Is really the cornerstone of this program.

Like, you know, night for Notables is great to be able to celebrate and to really support the Library of Michigan foundation as well. And that. But for me, that tour is really. I would love to be able to grow it in many other ways.

You know, whether it's like, we could also have some virtual or, you know, be able to have more than 50. I mean, at this moment, though, it is kind of buck stops with me. So it's.

We're kind of stuck at where we're at right now, but, you know, to be able to provide some. Some more funding to authors, because for some of them, they really just can't make it work, you know, with the travel.

So if I would be able to give them a higher honorarium.

That would be great because then that could allow for some of those who are coming out from Montana or, you know, to stay for a week and to really be able to go to all these libraries or to come out for the night for nobles and then also come out for the tour. So, you know, I think that's one piece of it.

Well, I think another part of it too is that, you know, we get back to how the tour is a way to bring authors to places that normally don't have them.

And that I hope that, you know, we're in somewhere, whether it's Hancock or Taoist or some of these places that are in Michigan, that there is somebody who is thinking of becoming a writer or that they've been researching a topic for a long time and that when they go to one of these events, that they get inspired by it and that it says to them that, oh yeah, I can get.

Get this down and get this published in some way, and that that next generation of writers is creating works that us decades down the line are going to be reading. Be like, yep, that's a notable that's got to go on the list.

Right.

And we're lucky enough that our state is so full of. It's that palette of topics and talents. And, you know, we're lucky with musicians, it's like that.

And we're lucky with authors that it doesn't matter where you go, you can find something to write about and somebody out there to tell that story.

Yeah.

And I think also just getting the word out there about Michigan notable books so that people are more aware of these amazing Michigan stories and Michigan authors, because I think a lot of times, you know, we know about the big author from California and New York, but I mean, not many people know about the incredible authors and stories that are here set in Michigan, even in their own backyard. And so to be able to get the people in our state to know their own local stories, but also beyond that, to get national attention. Right.

To say, oh, hey, you know, that story that's set in New York is great and all, but have you read this story that's set in Lansing? Right, you know, Right.

Yeah.

So remind us again how folks that might want to either go to the Night of Notables or attend a stop on the tour, how can they learn about those things? And how. How can they attend either one of those events?

The easiest place to learn anything about the Notable Books program and Night for notables, go to michigan.gov notablebooks that's where we have both the current list, previous year's lists on there, links that get you to where the registration information is for for Night for notables, as well as the details about the program itself.

Thank you.

Yeah.

And thank you, Adam and Mindy for talking with us today. It's been great to learn about this year's books and the program. So thank you very much for coming in.

Yeah, you guys are welcome.

Thank you.

We're excited to be here.

I'm excited to have you. We're excited to have you. How about that?

Love it.

You have been listening to Written in the Stars: Books and Beyond. Visit lcc.edu/library to find the titles discussed in this episode. You can find previous episodes of Written in the Stars and other LCC Connect shows at lccconnect.com and in the words of Miguel de Unamuno, "I hope, reader, we shall meet again and we shall recognize each other."