Minneapolis poet and writer James Lenfestey has been named this year's Kay Sexton Award winner by the Friends of the St. Paul Public Library. The award goes annually to a person or an organization that has made a significant contribution to the state's literary community.

Lenfestey, a former college English instructor and editorial writer for the Star Tribune, is the author of a dozen books of prose and poetry, including "Seeking the Cave: A Pilgrimage to Cold Mountain," which was a finalist for a Minnesota Book Award.

He chaired the board of the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, served on the capital campaign committee for Open Book, and served on the boards of the Loft Literary Center, the Circle Native newspaper, the Anderson Center, and the Friends of the University Libraries.

He chaired the Literary Witnesses poetry series for 15 years.

Lenfestey will be honored at the 32nd annual Minnesota Book Awards on April 28 at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets can be purchased online at www.ordway.org/mnba.

(Photo of James Lenfestey by Larry Marcus.)