About This Journal
The Lorgnette is a publication of the Heart of Texas Literature Center in Brownwood, TX. It is published quarterly and features reviews of books and book-related media that are published and/or made available for sale for the first time in the United States during the current year. Reviews are written by professionals, either current or retired librarians and/or teachers. Lorgnette is indexed in the Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD).History and Background
Located in the Walker Memorial Library at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, TX, the Heart of Texas Literature Center was established in 1987 as a way to serve schools and libraries in small communities of West Texas. The area is geographically large but sparsely populated; schools are typically spread far apart and can be under-resourced. The Center was formed to help librarians in these communities select and have access to quality new books given their remote locations and small budgets.
Publishers donate books to the Center for review. The Center makes the books available for viewing and reviews the books in the Lorgnette. The Lorgnette acts as a selection tool for libraries.
Additionally, libraries can choose to sponsor the Center for a yearly amount. On a distribution day each year, the Center gives its accumulated books to sponsoring libraries. The value of the books each sponsor receives typically exceeds the amount of its sponsorship.
Over time, the Center's sponsors have grown to include metropolitan universities, libraries, and schools as well as those in small communities. It is a unique partnership between publishers and libraries.
Center in the News
Heart of Texas Literature Center at HPU Distributes Children’s BooksBrownwood News, June 1, 2011
