More than 800 authors, readers and other literary Angelenos have signed a petition sent to the board of directors of the Library Foundation, along with L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, raising concerns about the future of its ALOUD reading series following the dismissal of ALOUD’s founder Louise Steinman and associate director Maureen Moore.

“We are writers and readers deeply invested in ALOUD, and we are deeply concerned by the announced departure of ALOUD director Louise Steinman and associate director Maureen Moore, and the elimination of their program-sustaining positions,” the petition reads.

Moore, who worked at ALOUD for eight years, and Steinman, who had been with it for the 25 years since its founding, were dismissed in late August and told that their positions were being eliminated.

“The diminishment or loss of ALOUD would be serious subtraction from the cultural wealth of Los Angeles,” the petition continues. “We urge you to recognize what Steinman and Moore have accomplished at ALOUD, and to remain committed to the priceless civic resource ALOUD has become.”

Among the hundreds of signatories are Pulitzer Prize winner Viet Thanh Nguyen, National Book Award winner Rachel Kushner and L.A. Poet Laureate Robin Coste Lewis, MacArthur Fellows Jonathan Lethem and Anne Carson; bestselling authors Janet Fitch and Luis J. Rodriguez; writer and filmmaker Miranda July; writers Geoff Dyer, Ben Ehrenreich, Pico Iyer and Héctor Tobar; novelists Aimee Bender, Mark Z. Danielewski, Steve Erickson, Mohsin Hamid, Thomas McGuane, John Rechy and Sapphire and Mona Simpson; and poets Chiwan Choi and Eileen Myles. Read Rest of Article Here