California State University, Northridge’s Friends of the Oviatt Library welcomes members of the community to nominate their favorite stories about the San Fernando Valley for consideration of the San Fernando Valley Award for Non-Fiction.

The Friends of the Oviatt Library — a volunteer, non-profit organization that supports and enhances resources at the Delmar T. Oviatt Library — created the award to promote research and writing related to the region, as well as to honor and underscore the importance of non-fiction writing about the area.

“[The San Fernando Valley] has played an important role in the evolution of the City of Los Angeles and the surrounding region for many years,” said Library Dean Mark Stover. “Growth in the population, in industry and in the arts and culture make the valley a rich source of material for non-fiction literature, including fields like history, journalism, social and behavioral sciences, physical and life sciences and the arts and biography.”

Acceptable subjects for submission include social, behavioral, physical and life sciences, history, biographies, autobiographies and humanities. Submissions must also be original, produced in book format and relate directly to the San Fernando Valley. The winner of the award will receive $1,000.

“There are no other awards for books written specifically about the San Fernando Valley,” Stover said. “It makes perfect sense for the Oviatt Library at California State University, Northridge, the largest university in the region, to honor writers and researchers with the prize.”

Authors, publishers, and members of the community may request a submission application by visiting the library’s San Fernando Valley Award for Non-Fiction website or calling (818) 677-2638. Entries must be submitted no later than Dec. 1, 2017.

The Oviatt Library serves as the main research facility in the San Fernando Valley and is located at the center of campus at 18111 Nordhoff St. For more information about the Oviatt library please visit the library website at or call (818) 677-2855.