Archive for May 2014 (14 posts)

Stay Up With a Good Book, Too —

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The 2014 National Book Festival poster by Bob Staake

The 2014 National Book Festival poster by Bob Staake

The author lineup for the 2014 Library of Congress National Book Festival is growing all the time, building excitement for the free event being held Saturday, August 30 from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

Yes, that’s right, a 12-hour day in a new venue, with all the features you know and love by day and a bunch of fascinating new offerings by night – a first in the festival’s 14-year run.

Recent additions to the speakers’ list include science writer Michio Kaku; novelists Mona Simpson, Elizabeth McCracken, Anne Hillerman and Sara Sue Hoklotubbe; graphic novelist Raina Telgemeier; poet Albert Rios; kids’ authors Jack Gantos, Francesco Marciulano, and Judith Viorst; and chef/authors Cathal Armstrong, Sheilah Kaufman, Amy Riolo and Laura and Peter Zeranski.

Following the day’s talks, with Q&A, by more than 100 authors for readers of all ages – and book-signings by those authors—the festival will offer special events between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. including a poetry slam, a panel discussion/screening titled  “Great Books to Great Movies,” and a “super-session” for fans of the graphic-novel genre.

The festival’s new location also facilitates an expanded selection of genre pavilions.  In addition to the longtime pavilions History & Biography, Fiction & Mystery, Poetry & Prose, Children’s, Contemporary Life, Teens and Special Programs, this year’s festival also will offer new pavilions focused on Science, the Culinary Arts, and for young readers, Picture Books.

For more information, go to the festival website. While you’re there, you can download this year’s festival poster by artist Bob Staake. (Turn up the sound if you click Bob’s link!)

 

 

 

The Library in History: Library Analyst Helped Launch NASA

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(The following is a story written by Cory V. Langley, a communications specialist in the Congressional Research Service, that is featured in the May – June 2014 issue of the Library of Congress Magazine, LCM, now available for download here. You can also view the archives of the Library’s former publication from 1993 to 2011. Amid fear and anxiety […]

CRS at 100: Informing the Legislative Debate Since 1914

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(The following is an article compiled by Cory V. Langley, a communications specialist in the Congressional Research Service, that is featured in the May – June 2014 issue of the Library of Congress Magazine, LCM, now available for download here. You can also view the archives of the Library’s former publication from 1993 to 2011. The centennial […]

Library Launches Portal For Civil Rights History Project

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(The following is a story written by my colleague, Mark Hartsell, editor of The Gazette, the Library of Congress staff newsletter.) Simeon Wright still recalls the terror of the night they came and took his cousin away. “I woke up and saw these two white men standing at the foot of my bed,” Wright said. […]

Library Welcomes New Blog, NLS Music Notes

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The Library adds another blog into its blogosphere today. Welcome NLS Music Notes. The blog is designed to share information about the services of the Music Section of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped and its special format music collection: in braille, large print and audio. The blog will highlight the […]

The Power of One: Roy Wilkins and the Civil Rights Movement

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(The following is a story written by Mark Hartsell, editor of the Library’s staff newsletter, The Gazette, for the May-June 2014 issue of the Library of Congress Magazine. The Library exhibition, “The Civil Rights Act of 1964: The Long Struggle for Freedom,” opens June 19 in the Thomas Jefferson Building.) Civil Rights activist Roy Wilkins […]

Pics of the Week: Behind the Music

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Last week, the Library hosted the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Foundation for its annual “We Write the Songs” concert, featuring the songwriters performing and telling the stories behind their own music. Carly Simon, Randy Newman and Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart joined others in performing some of their most popular tunes. “We used […]

Inquiring Minds: Commemorating the Federal Writers’ Project

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David A. Taylor is the author of “Soul of a People: The WPA Writers’ Project Uncovers Depression America” and writer and co-producer of the Smithsonian documentary, “Soul of a People: Writing America’s Story.” On Thursday, he joins others at the Library for an event marking the 75th anniversary of “These Are Our Lives,” a collection […]

Inquiring Minds: The Intrepid Explorer

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(From time to time, we’ll feature the story of one of our many researchers here at the Library and the discoveries they made using our collections. The following is the story of Meg Kennedy Shaw, who conducted research on her father, a British desert explorer, botanist and archaeologist.) Meg Kennedy Shaw has made many trips to […]

Library in the News: April 2014 Edition

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The Library made several major announcements in April, including new additions to the National Recording Registry. The addition of the 25 new recordings to the National Recording Registry brings the list to a total of 400 sound recordings. Among the new selections were Jeff Buckley’s haunting single “Hallelujah” from his one and only studio album; […]