This is an update on the progress that we are making at the Florence Roselli Casa Italia Library in Stone Park (Chicago) from a Power Point presentation done at the American Italian Historical Association annual conference in Baton Rouge last week.

Library volunteer worker, Vincenzo DiVito, sits in front of new Library shelves of the Florence Roselli Casa Italia Library in Stone Park (Chicago)

Edward Maruggi collected dozens of vignettes from Italian American writers of their "Remembrances" of Mamma. Rob Marchesani offers this review and I am delighted to host this essay on my blog in time for Mother's Day---DC

Adriana Trigiani is on a book tour to promote her new novel "Very Valentine. In the works are 2 prospective movies, 2 more "Very Valentine" books, and a book series for teenage girls.

Book Jacket of Carnevale's New Language, New World

Bringing to light activities of academics searching for 'roots and branches."

Helen Barolini recently received word that her novel "Umbertina" is the recipient of the Premio Acerbi 2008,

The last time that Vecoli and Candeloro were together---November 2007, the 39th annual AIHA Conference in Denver.

In recognition of Rudolph Vecoli's contribution to the study of Italians in Chicago beginning with his 1962 dissertation "Chicago Italians Prior to World War I," the recent Chicago event was dedicated to him. Though health problems kept him from attending, conferees heard drom him on a videorecording done in 2006 for the documentary "And They Came to Chicago."

Fred L. Gardaphe` is the newly-minted Distinguished Prof of IA Studies at Queens College/ Calandra IA Institute