National Book Festival 2001

Building on the success of the Texas Book Festival, Laura Bush hosted the first National Book Festival on September 9, 2001. The event featured more than 60 award-winning authors, illustrators and storytellers from across the country.

On Saturday, September 8, 2001, Mrs. Bush hosted a breakfast at the White House for participating authors, followed by the opening of the Festival at 10 a.m. Tents were set up on the East Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, with both adults' and children's authors reading excerpts from their works throughout the day. A storytelling pavilion and a pavilion representing organizations involved in promoting reading and libraries delighted children of all ages.

Book-signings, book sales, and panel presentations on children's, mysteries, poetry, and children's books were held in the Library of Congress' Jefferson Building. The Library's exhibition galleries and reading rooms presented a wide range of special programs to inform and entertain visitors on such topics as book illustration, and a clinic was held to show how to preserve family photos and documents.

Ray Allen of the Milwaukee Bucks, representing the National Basketball Association's national Read to Achieve campaign, joined Mrs. Bush and Librarian of Congress James H. Billington on July 30, 2001, at the Festival announcement. Texas artist Luann Barrow was commissioned to paint the original poster art for the inaugural Festival.

In anticipation of Festival activities, a special "Children's Reading Hour" was held in the Great Hall of the Jefferson Building on the morning of Friday, September 7th. Mrs. Bush, Dr. Billington, Grant Hill of the Orlando Magic, and fourth grade students from two area public schools discussed Richard Peck's book for young people, A Long Way from Chicago. They also highlighted the resources of the Library's award-winning web site for children, americaslibrary.gov

The Festival included demonstrations on computer learning in the Library's National Digital Library Learning Center in the Madison Building, featuring the Library's web sites, talking books, and new technologies for people with disabilities.