The Library’s eighth annual National Book Festival garnered widespread press attention in advance of this highly anticipated event. Day-of coverage and post-festival coverage were equally brisk.
For the third year, an online pressroom on the Library’s Web site provided the media with background materials, high-resolution images, B-roll, podcasts of author interviews and other audiovisual resources. For the first time, local television journalists participated by introducing some of the authors.
Several long-lead media previewed the event. These included The Washington Post, Washington Post Express, Baltimore Sun, Washingtonian, Associated Press, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Harper’s Bazaar, BizBash, The Downtowner, Washington Blade, Virginian Pilot, FamilyFun, Washington Family, The Agenda News (Family Column), The Hill Rag, Education Week, American Teacher and About.com.
The Library relied on an online presence and the blogosphere to reach a wide audience. The Library kept the public informed of plans for the festival on its blog (www.loc.gov/blog/). Stories appeared on other popular blogs and Web sites, including thedctraveler.com, www.jaunted.com and www.gadling.com. The Library also produced a series of 19 author podcasts, available for download free of charge through the Library’s Web site (www.loc.gov/podcasts/).
Festival sponsors helped with the outreach effort. For example, Barnes & Noble developed a dedicated National Book Festival channel on its Web site that featured webcasts from the 2007 festival and podcast interviews with authors participating in the 2008 festival. PBS also actively promoted the event through a customized email invitation, which was distributed to a list of 20,000 reading-promotion partners.
The Washington Post, a charter sponsor of the National Book Festival, ran a variety of pre- and post-festival stories, including a pullout guide in the Sunday Book World section, a feature on its “Weekend’s Best” page and online chats with participating authors on washingtonpost.com. Book World Editor Marie Arana produced a video clip of the festival for washingtonpost.com, which was picked up by American Libraries Direct. In her online coverage of the festival, Arana wrote, “The war in Iraq, the economic turmoil, the campaign vicissitudes had receded to a parallel universe. Only books and their authors reigned.”
Washington Post reporter Bob Thompson remarked, “Popular it certainly was on Saturday, despite continually threatening weather. Dark clouds loomed over the festival’s gleaming white pavilions. A night of rain had left the Mall soaked and muddy. But none of that stopped people from overflowing the available chairs for many readings.”
“I love the whole idea of the National Mall being turned over to literature for a Saturday a year. It still has that feeling of a lot of book lovers together, people who love to read and who love books and who are very happy,” she said.
For the first time in the festival’s history, Laura Bush made an appearance as an author, along with daughter Jenna. Speaking to an overflowing crowd in the Children’s pavilion, they introduced their new book, “Read All About It!”
AP reporter Christine Simmons observed, “Dozens of youngsters were quickly organized and led to the front of the stage inside the pitched tent where the authors sat closer than the public usually gets to the first family. As children shyly stood by the table to get their book signed, the mother and daughter asked for their names and if they liked to read. They blew kisses to some youngsters as the rode away in their parents’ arms.”
Simmons’ story also ran in The Washington Post, the Denver Post, Star Tribune (Minneapolis), The Times of Trenton, The Times Union (Albany) and the Sacramento Bee.
AP reporter Deb Riechmann, who attended the gala, penned a story about Scieszka’s appearance that was picked up by more than 40 outlets across the nation.
The day before the festival, Scieszka received his official ambassador medallion and entertained a class of local fifth-graders from Brent Elementary School. Roll Call reporter Tricia Miller noted, “Children have been enthusiastic about the ambassadorship. Scieszka asks audiences what kind of ‘ambassador stuff’ they think he should get. Among the suggestions have been small flags for the front of his car, a helicopter and—Scieszka’s personal favorite—$1 million.”
Maggie Linton of XM Radio and Sam Litzinger of CBS Radio interviewed participating authors at the festival in a special studio area designated just for that purpose. XM Radio also ran a series of pre-festival interviews on This is Audible, the Sonic Theatre channel and the Maggie Linton Show. These interviews combined with day-of interviews were used to compile a “Best of Festival” segment for the Maggie Linton Show. Interviews on the Sonic Theater channel were also downloadable on www.audible.com.
