A poetry series will begin in Salina this week.

According to the Salina Public Library, the 2019 Salina Poetry Series will start with a writing workshop and reading by Ruth Williams. The reading will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the library’s Prescott Room. General admission to the poetry series is $5 and $3.50 for students. A reception will follow the reading at SPARK Artist Resource Exchange, 146 S. Santa Fe, with refreshments provided by Friends of the Salina Public Library.

A Sense of Place, a poetry workshop led by Williams, will be from 2-4 p.m. April 2 at the McKenzie Center, 308 W. Elm. Williams will share model poems about place and lead a discussion about how to use descriptions of landscape in their work to evoke emotions. There is no fee for the workshop, but registration is required. Visit the library’s online calendar at www.salinapubliclibrary.org, call (785) 825-4624 or stop by the library.

Williams is the author of “Flatlands” (Black Lawrence Press, 2018), a full-length collection of poetry, as well as a poetry chapbook, “Conveyance” (Dancing Girl Press, 2012). Her poetry has appeared in Michigan Quarterly Review, jubilat, Pleiades, and Third Coast among others. She has also published creative nonfiction in Crab Orchard Review, DIAGRAM, and South Loop Review.

Williams holds a Ph.D. in English and comparative literature from the University of Cincinnati and an MFA in creative writing, poetry from Eastern Washington University. She is an assistant professor of English at William Jewell College where she teaches workshops in poetry and creative nonfiction as well as courses in American, women’s and ethnic literature. She also serves as an editor for Bear Review, a literary journal.

A performance by songwriter and guitarist Catfish Jones, of Salina, will precede the reading. Williams will be introduced by Lindsborg poet Linda Lewis.

The Spring Poetry Series is sponsored by Salina Public Library, Salina Arts and Humanities and SPARK Artist Resource Exchange. The series celebrates National Poetry Month with a poet performance every Tuesday in April. Upcoming poets are Traci Brimhall on April 9, Melissa Lozada-Oliva on April 16, Meghann Plunkett on April 23, and Jen Harris and Emery Diercks on April 30.