TO: News editors, directors

WHAT: The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Library and the Katrina Research Center will host Linda Van Zandt, the university’s Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage’s managing editor and special projects coordinator, to present oral history interviews.

WHERE: Southern Miss Gulf Coast Library at the Gulf Park campus in Long Beach.

WHEN: Monday, June 15 from 12 – 1 p.m.

SPECIFICS: Van Zandt will present interviews that were collected following Hurricane Katrina and discuss the oral history interview project. The presentations are free and open to the public.

The Gulf Coast Library and the Katrina Research Center are observing Hurricane Awareness Month by presenting the 2009 Hurricane Awareness Series each Monday in June. The presentations are free and open to the public.

CONTACT: Southern Miss Marketing and Public Relations at 228.865.4573.

About The University of Southern Mississippi
The University of Southern Mississippi, founded in 1910, is a comprehensive doctoral and research-extensive university fulfilling its mission of being a leading university in engaging and empowering individuals to transform lives and communities. In a tradition of leadership for student development, Southern Miss is educating a 21st century work force providing intellectual capital, cultural enrichment and innovation to Mississippi and the world. Southern Miss is located in Hattiesburg, Miss., with an additional campus and teaching and research sites on the Mississippi Gulf Coast; further information is found at www.usm.edu/gulfcoast .