photo by: Screenshot/Raven Book Store via Crowdcast

Author Sara Paretsky, left, speaks with Raven Book Store owner Danny Caine as part of a virtual Paper Plains Literary Festival event, Wednesday, April 22, 2020.

Paper Plains Literary Festival Inc., a nonprofit that highlighted the literary landscape of the Midwest through a variety of free programs in Lawrence, has officially dissolved, according to a news release Sunday from its board.

The group has transferred $11,736 in remaining assets to the Kansas Book Festival, which takes place every September in Topeka and is currently hosted by Washburn University’s Mabee Library.

Paper Plains Literary Festival Inc. was founded in 2019. Its board of directors decided to dissolve it this year so that festival organizers could focus on other priorities, the release said.

The COVID-19 pandemic interfered with plans to host an in-person festival in April of 2020, but virtual festivals took place in both 2020 and 2021, and this year’s festival in April featured award-winning authors Colson Whitehead, Sarah Smarsh and Angeline Boulley.

“The Paper Plains Literary Festival faced unexpected challenges,” said festival director Danny Caine, who is an owner of the Raven Book Store. “But in the end, thanks to the incredible community support we received, we were able to host some pretty amazing events that brought our community together around a love of books, reading, and thoughtful conversation.”

Kansas Book Festival director Tim Bascom said his group was excited to “carry on the good work done by the Paper Plains Literary Festival.”

He said the gift of the transferred assets would “make the Kansas Book Festival stronger in 2023 and more sustainable in the years to come.”