Resources
The 11th annual National Book Festival, organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress, will be held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., Saturday, Sept. 24 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 25 from 1 to 5:30 p.m. The festival is free and open to the public.
Download the Book Festival Brochure (PDF, 4.6 Mb)
Author Pavilions
More than 100 authors, illustrators and poets will make presentations on the National Mall throughout the weekend in the Fiction & Mystery, History & Biography, Contemporary Life, Poetry & Prose, Children, and Teens pavilions, the Family Storytelling Stage, and (Sunday only) The Cutting Edge, State Poets Laureate, and Graphic Novels will be represented under the banner of the Pavilion of the States.
Let’s Read America Pavilion
Children and families will enjoy reading-related activities in the Let’s Read America pavilion sponsored by Target, the Washington Post, Wells Fargo, AT&T, PBS KIDS, Penguin Group (USA), ReadAloud.org and Scholastic Inc.
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Pavilion of the States (Saturday only)
The Pavilion of the States, sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, salutes the literary traditions of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories. A brochure available in this pavilion, called “Discover Great Places Through Reading,” offers a list of 52 great reads. Many of these books will be for sale in the Book Sales Pavilion. On Sunday the Pavilion of the States will host three new mini-pavilions, entitled The Cutting Edge, State Poets Laureate and Graphic Novels.
Library of Congress Pavilion
As part of this year’s pavilion theme, “The Library of Congress: Past, Present and Future,” you can explore the history of the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution and discover tools for researching and preserving your own family history. Discover some of the Library’s current key programs and services and how they can help you and your community. Explore the impact of technology on the Library’s collections and services with a close look at some cutting-edge programs and facilities.
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Book Sales Pavilion
Barnes & Noble is the official bookseller for the 2011 National Book Festival. Visit the book sales pavilion conveniently located on the festival grounds if you’d like to purchase selected books by 2011 National Book Festival authors. Be sure to pick up books by your favorite authors before going to the book-signing areas.
Gateway to Knowledge
After a year-long tour of 90 small towns in America, the Library’s traveling exhibition returns to the National Book Festival. Launched at the festival in 2010, the exhibition is mounted in an 18-wheel customized truck and features high-quality facsimiles of many of the Library's top treasures and information about the millions of resources in the Library's unparalleled collections. The exhibition traveled to towns in the East, the South and the Midwest, introducing many Americans to the wonders of the Library of Congress.
Digital Bookmobile
The Digital Bookmobile powered by OverDrive will be at the festival to help visitors explore download services from community libraries nationwide. Interactive learning stations will give visitors an opportunity to search a library’s digital catalog, use compatible mobile devices and sample popular eBook, audiobook, music and video titles.
Keep Up with the Festival
To keep up with the most current news on the 2011 National Book Festival, follow us via one of the three ways below:
Site Map
Download the Site Map (PDF, 8.7 Mb)
Getting Here
The National Book Festival site is convenient to several Metro subway stations:
- Smithsonian and Federal Center SW on the Blue and Orange lines
- L’Enfant Plaza and Archives/Navy Memorial on the Yellow and Green lines
Numerous bus routes from Washington, Maryland and Virginia also stop along the National Mall. For additional information and route planning, visit the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority web site at www.metroopensdoors.com.
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