National Book Festival To Be Held September 8th

Posted on August 1, 2001

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington and Laura Bush announced plans for America's first National Book Festival, to be held at the Library of Congress and on the east lawn of the U.S. Capitol on Saturday, September 8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event, which is hosted by Mrs. Bush and sponsored by the Library of Congress, is inspired by the Texas Book Festival founded by Mrs. Bush. The festival will include readings and book signings by more than 40 award-winning authors and illustrators of books for both adults and children. Additional activities will include musical performances, storytelling, panel discussions, demonstrations of illustration and new technologies, as well as tours and exhibitions in the buildings of the Library of Congress.

The Librarian of Congress and Mrs. Bush hope that the National Book Festival will encourage American families to develop a lifelong love of reading. The event is free and open to the public. Basketball star Ray Allen of the Milwaukee Bucks joined in the announcement, representing the National Basketball Association's national reading campaign, ``Read to Achieve'' and detailing the NBA's involvement in the festival. At the announcement, the Librarian of Congress and the First Lady also unveiled the festival logo and a painting by Texas artist Lu Ann Barrow that was commissioned for the festival.

``I am proud to join with Dr. Billington and the Library of Congress in hosting this year's National Book Festival,'' said Mrs. Bush. ``This event gives us an opportunity to inspire parents and care givers to read to children as early as possible and to encourage reading as a lifelong activity,'' she added. ``I look forward to welcoming book lovers of all ages to our nation's capital to celebrate the magic of reading and storytelling.''

On the morning of Friday, September 7, a ``Back-to School'' program will be held in the Great Hall of the Library's Thomas Jefferson Building with Mrs. Bush and Librarian of Congress James Billington and fourth grade students from two Washington area public schools. Dr. Billington and Mrs. Bush will read from their favorite books and demonstrate how the Library's website for families can be used as a lively and interactive educational resource. An invitation-only, black tie dinner and performance will be held at the Library of Congress later that evening.

On Saturday, September 8, Mrs. Bush will host a breakfast at the White House for authors, illustrators, and their publishers participating in the festival, followed by the opening of the festival at 10 a.m. at the Library of Congress. Pavilions will be set up on the east lawn of the U.S. Capitol with both adult and children's authors reading excerpts from their works throughout the day. A storytelling pavilion and a pavilion featuring, ``great ideas for promoting reading, literacy, and libraries,'' are planned. Book-signings, book sales, and panel presentations on children's books, mysteries and poetry will be held in the Library's Jefferson Building. The Library's exhibition galleries and reading rooms will be open, presenting a wide range of special programs to inform and entertain visitors of all ages on such topics as children's book illustration and a how to preserve family photos and documents.

The day also will include demonstrations in the Library's National Digital Library Learning Center in the Madison Building on computer learning featuring the Library's websites, and talking books and new technologies from the Library's National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Musical groups will perform in front of the Jefferson Building and food will be available on the plaza of Madison Building across the street.