September - December 2009 LIBRARY OPENS CENTER FOR YOUNG READERS By Kimberly Rieken The Library of Congress, for the first time in its history, has a space devoted to the reading interests of children and teens in its historic Thomas Jefferson Building. On Oct. 23, Librarian of Congress James H. Billington welcomed a group of young people, parents and others to the new Young Readers Center, in Room LJ G-31, ground floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building. “We want you and other young readers to have a place where you can gain an introduction to the wonders of your nation’s library,” Billington told the children gathered in the center. The Librarian, with the help of Mrs. Billington, introduced the book “Moomin Troll” by Tove Jansson, from which the Billingtons read to the children. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., and her children and Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Ala., and his son helped open the new center. A mother of three, the congresswoman said she was honored to be at the opening. “There’s nothing like an event in Washington with children,” she said. Stressing the importance of Center for the Book the Library for readers of all ages, she said, “We need to be able to inspire the Newsletter next generation of readers in the greatest library in the world.” Children gathered The Center for the Book’s around and listened intently as the congresswoman and her children read one of networks of state centers their favorite books, “Pinkalicious” by Elizabeth Kann and Victoria Kann. and reading promotion part- M.T. Anderson, who writes books for both children and teens, was the special ners extend the reach of the guest author. He has written such acclaimed and popular books as “The national center far beyond Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing” Volumes I and II (Candlewick Press), the programs it sponsors in and “Me, All Alone, at the End of the World” (Random House). Anderson the Washington area. The appeared at the Library’s 2007 National Book Festival. Anderson recalled that national center in the Library as a child he understood that he was part of “a lineage of American readers” of Congress has established when he saw on library-book check-out cards the names of others who had come this newsletter to serve as a before him. He also talked about how libraries can transport readers of all ages forum for all Center for the to different times and places. “Libraries are time portals,” he said. They can take Book activities. We want to us back to the past and into the future. They can take us to different worlds, tell you what we are doing in worlds we wouldn’t know, people we might not understand.” Washington and around the country to support our mis- Dr. Billington said he hopes the new Young Readers Center will serve the same sion of promoting books, purpose. “We’ve got a lot of books to open a lot of windows that will let you use reading, libraries and literacy. your imaginations,” he said. And we want to hear about all About the Young Readers Center the innovative ways you call attention to the importance Visitors to the Young Readers Center may choose to read a book from an up-to- of reading. Your updates can date collection of noncirculating titles; they may browse the web’s kid-friendly serve as year-round “idea ex- sites; or they may attend programs especially designed for young readers. The changes” that augment our center’s media room provides an opportunity for visitors to view webcasts of two in-person Idea Exchange National Book Festival authors talking about reading, writing and books for meetings, held this year in young adults and children. The center is a special space in the Library for adults March and May at the Library and children to enjoy together. of Congress. The Young Readers Center is one aspect of the Center for the Book’s out- Please send your submissions reach to the nation’s youth. The Center for the Book also oversees a program to [email protected]. in which the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature (story continues on page 2) (Young Readers Center from page 1) (www.childrensbookambassador.com) is named as a spokesperson for the importance of reading in young people’s lives. The program is a collaborative effort with the Children’s Book Council (www.cbcbooks.org). The first ambas- sador is Jon Scieszka, whose two-year term will end in December 2009; a new ambassador will be named in January 2010. The Center for the Book also oversees the new website at www.Read.gov, which provides reading resources especially for kids and teens (as well as adults, educators and parents). A highlight of the site is the exclusive episodic story called “The Exquisite Corpse Adventure,” a joint project with the National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance (www.thencbla.org). Every two weeks a new episode and illustration will appear. Some of the nation’s best authors and illustrators for young people are each writing a chapter or providing an illustration for the yearlong story. Kimberly Rieken is an operations assistant in the Public Affairs Office. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz Dr. and Mrs. Billington read from and writer M.T. Anderson “Moomin Troll,” a Finnish fairy enjoyed a conversation during tale, to the children and parents the official opening of the Young who came to the celebration, Readers Center. including Rep. Debbie Wasserman Credit: Barry Wheeler Schultz (seated, left) and her three children and Rep. Robert Aderholt, who came with his son. Credit: Barry Wheeler Writer M.T. Anderson was a special guest during the event; he signed one of his books for a fan. Credit: John Y. Cole Rep. Aderholt met Britney Sistare and her mother, Center for the In the corridor opposite the Book staff member Staceya Young Readers Center is a Sistare-Anderson, during the diorama devoted to the Center reception that followed the for the Book’s National opening program. Ambassador for Young People’s Credit: John Y. Cole Literature program. Credit: John Y. Cole 2 Center for the Book Authors’ Program Draws Big Names to National Book Festival By Guy Lamolinara Writers with such star power as John Grisham, Judy Blume, Gwen Ifill, Junot Díaz, James Patterson and Ken Burns are not usually seen in the same venue. But such was the case at the 2009 National Book Festival. The Center for the Book’s role in coordinating the author presentations for the Sept. 26 event resulted in more than 70 noteworthy writers, illustrators and poets appearing at the festival – many for the first time. Librarian of Congress James H. Billington opened the festival in the Fiction & Fantasy Pavilion by giving John Grisham a special award. This was the first presentation of the National Book Festival Creative Achievement Award. The previous day, Grisham had been honored during a luncheon at the Hay-Adams. In making the award presentation, Billington praised Grisham for his “legendary” literary success as well as his charitable work, such as raising millions of dollars for victims Patrick Carman spoke with a fan of Hurricane Katrina. at the Washington state table in While Billington was opening the Fiction & Fantasy Pavilion, John Y. Cole, the Pavilion of the States director of the Center for the Book (www.loc.gov/cfbook) and book festival Credit: Patricia Fisher author coordinator, was emceeing the opening program in the Children’s Pavilion, which featured six of the authors of the “Exquisite Corpse Adventure,” a serialized episodic story written exclusively for the new website at www.Read.gov. Cole was joined by Mary Brigid Barrett, president and executive director of the National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance (www.thencbla.org), which is the Center for the Book’s co-sponsor on the “Exquisite Corpse” project. As it has since 2002, the second year of the National Book Festival, the Center for the Book also organized and managed the popular Pavilion of the States, where festival goers could learn about Center for the Book reading and literacy promotion projects as well as the literary traditions of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories. Representatives from throughout the nation provided information and answered questions about their state’s writers, David Baldacci, at the Virginia libraries, book festivals, book awards and reading promotion activities. In addition, table, was greeted by (from left) several festival authors and illustrators made scheduled visits to their state’s table Mary Chute of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, to greet fans and sign autographs. Gayle Haglund and Susan A popular pavilion feature, especially among young readers and their families, Coleman of the Virginia Center was “Discover Great Places Through Reading” -- a free map of the United States for the Book. IMLS is the sponsor that attendees could present at each table for an appropriate state sticker or stamp. of the Pavilion of the States. Credit: Patricia Fisher The map included “52 Great Reads About Great Places,” which is a reading list of books for young people compiled with a recommendation from each state. The 14th edition of “The Congressional Club Cookbook” was sold in the pavilion. The cookbook offers recipes from around the world and includes inaugural ball (story continues on page 4) 3 (National Book Festival Authors from page 3) portraits of presidents and first ladies, as well as photos of historic sites around Washington. Revenue generated from cookbook sales helps support contributions made by the Congressional Club to a variety of local charities.