Library Project Update

We are deeply grateful for all the support we have received for the Ian Zelazny Library Project.  This support has made it possible to create two separate endowment funds, for the permanent support of programming that would be meaningful to Ian.  The first endowment supports the “For the Children” program, providing books and tutoring to children in the New Orleans community (more details below.)  In July 2015, resources were sufficient to create a second endowed fund, that will remain in perpetuity, providing ongoing support into the future for the Ian Zelazny Writer’s workshops (or similar programming) sponsored by Tulane’s English Department.  With Ian in mind, funds drawn from this endowment must be used for an event that is not only for Tulane students, but also publicly advertised and open to the New Orleans community.  Details about the latest event can be found below. We continue to feel deeply grateful for the cooperation and assistance from faculty and administrators at Tulane, and most importantly, the outpouring of generosity that helped to make these things possible in Ian’s memory.  In 2016, Ian’s parents are now moving toward honoring Ian’s memory in other ways.  More on that will be posted when further information is available.

Tulane University’s “For the Children” program
This program provides staffing, tutoring, and reading materials for school children in 2 New Orleans schools.  Each of the schools  has a “reading room” – like a small library – within the school building, and it is the reading rooms where the tutoring programs take place.  Tulane students and other New Orleans community members serve as volunteer tutors. Funds were withdrawn from the Ian Zelazny Library Project last year to create an an endowment fund that will continue to generate funds for this program annually on an ongoing basis, but since it will take time for those funds to accumulate, we have given $1,000 for direct costs to be spent (on books etc.) in the 2014-15 academic year.  Personal connection:  during his time at Tulane Ian served as a tutor in this program, and seriously considered teaching as a possible career.
(We are also posting the program’s “wish list” of books that they would like for the program, but that they so far do not have funds to purchase.)

The Ian Gallagher Zelazny Writer’s Workshop series.
With the help of Michael Kuczynski, Chair of Tulane’s English Department, a series of writer’s workshops has been organized, in Ian’s name.  The inaugural event took place on February 4, 2014, with a workshop presented by New Orleans based poet Brenda Marie Osbey.   The second workshop was held in the fall of 2014, featuring four authors from Tulane University’s English Department (two of whom taught Ian).  See the Tulane Newsletter article about creative writing at Tulane, and the November event.  The most recent workshop was held on August 29th, 2015, on the ten-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina (details here.)    Personal connection:  Ian was an enthusiastic aspiring writer, who loved New Orleans, and enjoyed both poetry and prose.  We hope these writer’s workshops, primarily featuring local New Orleans authors and poets, will help to encourage other aspiring writers like Ian.

In 2013-14, and 2014-15, funds were also provided to support The 1718 Reading Series
A student-run organization created as a cooperative effort between Tulane University, Loyola University, and the University of New Orleans, the program sponsors readings held in a public venue on a monthly basis during the academic year. Each event features a published writer as well as selected aspiring writers from each of the participating universities.  Support from the Ian Zelazny fund was provided in 2013-14 enabling the production of a book featuring the student writers.  Copies of the publication can be ordered via Lulu.com.  We look forward to seeing what the students will do with the additional support provided for 2014-15.  Personal connection: Ian was an active member of Tulane’s Literary Society that sponsors this series at Tulane, and he attended some sessions of the 1718 series himself (according to the 1718 series’ Facebook page where he appears as a participant in a few of the events held in 2011.) In general Ian tended to be drawn to activities that were organized by the participants, informally, in a cooperative manner. He enjoyed hearing poetry read aloud, and he talked about organizing a poetry reading with friends. We are sure he would be glad to have the 1718 reading series supported in his name.  (For more about the series there is a newspaper article about it online in NOLA vie)