TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The Library Leadership Board of University Libraries at The University of Alabama announces “Gorgeous Gorgas,” an event planned for Thursday, April 20 in celebration and support of the University Libraries.

The event kicks off with a reception at 6:30 p.m. followed by dinner on the second floor of the Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library. Rick Bragg, a best-selling author and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, is the featured speaker for the evening. Bragg, a native of Piedmont, Ala., has worked as a reporter for the Anniston Star, the Birmingham News and the St. Petersburg Times. He also spent 10 years as a reporter and correspondent with the New York Times. His books include “All Over but the Shoutin’,” “Somebody Told Me,” “Ava’s Man” and “I’m a Soldier, Too: The Jessica Lynch Story.” Bragg joined the UA faculty as a professor of writing in the College of Communication and Information Sciences in 2005.

Along with a jazz quintet provided by the UA School of Music, guests will enjoy an exhibition of materials commemorating the 175th anniversary of the founding of the University as well as exhibits highlighting the treasures held within the W. S. Hoole Special Collections Library. Among the items to be featured is the matriculation register for the first student class to attend the University.

The Libraries’ collections will be revealed in another interesting way during the event. A recipe contributed to a University of the South cookbook by Gorgas Library’s namesake, Amelia, will be served during the meal along with a dessert recipe selected from the David Walker Lupton African American Cookbook Collection. Both the Sewanee cookbook and the Lupton Collection are held by the Libraries.

The community, alumni and friends of the University are invited to attend the event. The cost to attend is $125 per person, and the deadline for reservations is April 14. For more information or to make reservations, please call Cheryl Altemara at 205/348-1416 or e-mail caltemar@bama.ua.edu.

University Libraries represents the Angelo Bruno Business Library, Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library, W. S. Hoole Special Collections Library, McLure Education Library, and Eric and Sarah Rodgers Library for Science and Engineering. The University Libraries combined house more that 2 million volumes and thousands of additional print and electronic resources. The Libraries provide information services to students, faculty and the community.