The Heart of Texas Literature Center at Howard Payne University held its 23rd annual distribution day on May 12, at which approximately 3,500 children’s books were dispersed among the center’s sponsor organizations.

Located inside HPU’s Walker Memorial Library, the Heart of Texas Literature Center is a combination review/examination center. Books sent by publishers are kept on display and selected works are evaluated by a network of educators and other professionals. These written reviews are published in a quarterly journal, the Lorgnette, as well as on the Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database, a review database used nationwide by librarians as a selection tool. At the distribution event each year, the books received from publishers during the year are given to the center’s sponsors.

HPU is one of only two universities in the U.S. that houses this type of children’s literature review center.

“We have a wonderful group of sponsors and are so happy to be able to facilitate this partnership between sponsors and publishers,” said Carrie Harding, coordinator of the Heart of Texas Literature Center. “Metropolitan-area libraries have access to publisher-provided review copies, but our arrangement with the sponsors and Howard Payne allows rural-area libraries the same opportunity.”

The center’s sponsors for the 2010-2011 year include Abilene Christian University, Angelo State University, Bangs Independent School District, Brownwood Public Library, Comanche Independent School District, Cross Plains Public Library, Cross Plains United Methodist Church, Early Primary School, Eula Independent School District, First Baptist Church of Brownwood, Hardin-Simmons University, Hernandez Elementary/Pre-Kindergarten of San Marcos, Howard Payne University, May Independent School District, Richland Springs Independent School District, San Angelo Independent School District, Santa Anna Public Library and Zephyr Independent School District.

For more information about the Heart of Texas Literature Center at Howard Payne University, call 325-649-8172.