“Words Worth Paying For,” a panel of writers, librarians and scholars, will meet at the White Stag building on Monday, Nov. 16, 2009, at 6 p.m. to discuss the rise of electronic book devices, which have sparked a debate among writers, publishers and readers alike. The event is hosted by the University of Oregon and its partners in the White Stag Block and is free and open to the public.

The informal panel is intended to spark casual conversation over food and drink about how digital publishing changes the landscape for writers, publishers and readers. Panelists include:

·      Katherine Dunn, author of “Geek Love,” which made her a finalist for the National Book Award in 1989. Her book “Why Do Men Have Nipples? And Other Low-Life Answers to Real-Life Questions,” a collection of newspaper columns from Willamette Week newspaper, and her most recent work, “One Ring Circus,” have made her one of Portland’s most celebrated and recognized authors.

·      Vailey Oehlke, director of libraries, Multnomah County Library. Oehlke is responsible for the Central Library, 16 branch libraries, various outreach programs and the planning for the two new libraries in Troutdale and Kenton.

·      Dennis Stovall, director of publishing for Portland State University and publisher at Ooligan Press. He has served on boards of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association, the Oregon Publishers Industry Alliance and Literary Arts.

The event will look at the growing popularity of readers such as Amazon’s Kindle and the Sony E-reader and examine the ways in which consumers, authors and publishers are adapting to this new age of writing and publishing.

The event is sponsored by the George S. Turnbull Portland Center of the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication, the UO Portland Library and Learning Commons, the Graduate Programs of Writing and Publishing at Portland State University and Multnomah County Library.

Al Stavitsky, Senior Associate Dean and Director of the Turnbull Center, will moderate the event.

For more information, go to www.turnbull.uoregon.edu. The Turnbull Center is located at 70 NW Couch St. in Portland.