English professor Terry Beers brings California literature to life and to light. As director of the California Legacy Project, he works to reissue out-of-print books from the state’s past and features audio snippets on public radio from major California writers.

Professor Beers has worked with Santa Clara University students at nearly every stage of the project. Students write radio scripts, research important California writers, and contribute to and help edit books in the California Legacy series.

“For many students, the process is an introduction to professionalism about writing,” says Professor Beers. “They have to think about marketing and copy editing. Interns sit in on publishing meetings. Students get a different sense of what it takes to survive as a writer or producer.”

The eight-year-old California Legacy Project is a partnership between Heyday Books, based in Berkeley, and Santa Clara University. The weekly radio segments are produced in partnership with KAZU 90.3 FM in Pacific Grove, California. Read more about the California Legacy Project here.