The 2021 Library of Congress National Book Festival is Sept. 17-26, with live author conversations every day. On Sept. 17 at 10 a.m. ET, 35 video-on-demand programs will become available to watch anytime. This year’s Festival also features interactive presentations with Library of Congress experts, a national television special and related events on PBS, NPR podcasts, and author interviews on Washington Post Live. Check out Festival Near You to discover related events from local organizations.
NOTE: Using the “Add to Calendar” tool places individual events in your personal calendar. It does not constitute a reservation or ticket to the event.
Film, Video
Video On-DemandAvailable starting
September 17, 2021
10:00 am EDT Watch videos from 44 of this year’s participating authors, including Kazuo Ishiguro, Roxane Gay, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Michael J. Fox and Angie Thomas. See what they have to say about their latest works at the 2021 National Book Festival.
Wednesday
August 25, 2021
4:00 pm -
5:00 pm
EDT
Online Only
During the 2021 National Book Festival, educators and students have the opportunity to engage with authors like never before! This pre-National Book Festival webinar is the perfect opportunity for teachers and librarians to learn about this year’s Festival opportunities and share ideas about how the Festival events can be included in instructional planning.
Sunday
September 12, 2021
6:00 pm -
7:00 pm
EDT
Online Only
“Open a Book, Open the World: The Library of Congress National Book Festival,” hosted by LeVar Burton, premieres Sunday, Sept. 12, at 6 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS Video app, and becomes available on the National Book Festival website on Monday, Sept. 13 at 10 a.m. ET.
Monday
September 20, 2021
3:00 pm -
4:00 pm
EDT
Online Only
Look inside the covers and learn how books are constructed. The Library’s Conservation Division shows you how to identify the influences of historic book structures in the modern bindings of today.
Tuesday
September 21, 2021
3:00 pm -
4:00 pm
EDT
Online Only
You are an owner of copyright-protected material. Learn how writing a story, creating a work of art, composing or recording music, or simply taking a picture engages with copyright. Find out more about how this automatic right affects your work and what it covers. Learn about the U.S. Copyright Office and the work it does to encourage creativity.
Wednesday
September 22, 2021
3:00 pm -
4:00 pm
EDT
Online Only
Beginning with early 20th-century livres d’artiste and concluding with contemporary graphic and book artists, Library curators discuss the many creative unions between art and the written word.
Thursday
September 23, 2021
3:00 pm -
4:00 pm
EDT
Online Only
Let’s share a virtual moment with the Spider-Man origin story — which includes Stan Lee’s story and Steve Ditko’s art — from "Amazing Fantasy" #15 (1962). Look at selected images from the drawings and hear experts’ insights into the collaboration that led to the development of the teen superhero.
Friday
September 24, 2021
3:00 pm -
4:00 pm
EDT
Online Only
Almost everyone who engages in genealogical research eventually comes across unexpected facts and details. The staff at the Library of Congress have collected resources to help researchers adjust to their new reality, decide whom to share their discoveries with and figure out the next step in their research. Join us in exploring the discoveries made possible by both traditional research and DNA.
