Bringing together literary lovers of all ages from across the nation, the 2009 National Book Festival will be held on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will serve as Honorary Chairs of the ninth annual festival. Free and open to the public, the festival is sponsored by the Library of Congress and will feature some 75 award-winning authors, poets and illustrators celebrating the joys of reading and lifelong literacy.
South Carolina will play a unique and special role promoting reading in the National Book Festival’s popular Pavilion of the States. Alongside representatives from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. trusts and territories, South Carolina will share information about state reading- and library-promotion programs, and answer questions about South Carolina writers, libraries, book festivals, book awards and reading promotion activities. In addition, several festival authors and illustrators will make scheduled visits to their state’s table to greet fans and sign autographs. Other featured pavilions are dedicated to book genres ranging from history and biography to mysteries, thrillers, poetry and prose, as well as books for families and young people. Aside from visiting pavilions, festival-goers can meet and hear firsthand from their favorite authors, get books signed, have photos taken with PBS storybook characters and participate in a variety of learning activities.
Families and young people unable to make it to D.C. for the event can experience the festival virtually. The 2009 National Book Festival Young Reader’s Toolkit brings the festival into libraries, schools, homes and communities nationwide. Featuring information on festival authors who write for children and teens as well as podcasts of their readings, teaching tools and activities for kids, this interactive learning resource also shows educators, parents and children how they can host their own book festivals. The toolkit will be available late summer on the National Book Festival website, www.loc.gov/bookfest.
The 2009 National Book Festival will be made possible through the support of Distinguished Benefactor Target and many other generous supporters.
The Library of Congress, the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution, is the world’s preeminent reservoir of knowledge, providing unparalleled collections and integrated resources to Congress and the American people. Many of the Library’s rich resources and treasures may be accessed through the Library’s website, www.loc.gov, and via interactive exhibitions on myLOC.gov.
