Library of Congress Adds New Authors to Eighth Annual National Book Festival; Free Podcasts Invite Nationwide Participation in Celebration of Reading

The Library of Congress has added new famed authors to the award-wining lineup for the 2008 National Book Festival. Free downloadable podcasts, available on iTunes and the Library's Web site, as well as other interactive features, bring the magic of the National Book Festival to booklovers nationwide.

Washington, DC (PRWEB) August 13, 2008 -- The Library of Congress (www.loc.gov) has added several new authors to the award-winning lineup for the 2008 National Book Festival (www.loc.gov/bookfest), which will be held on the National Mall from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 27.

Among the some 70 celebrated authors who will be participating in this year's event are early-childhood experts Ellen Birnbaum and Nancy Schulman, Michael Dobbs -- award-winning foreign correspondent for The Washington Post -- New York Times best-selling author Julie Morgenstern, and veteran journalist Cathy Scott.

There have also been several additions to the popular Poetry pavilion, including Michael Lind, Molly Peacock, Jill Allyn Rosser and the recently announced new Poet Laureate, Kay Ryan.

The introduction of new downloadable author podcasts (http://www.loc.gov/podcasts/), which are available free of charge through the Library's Web site or on iTunes, makes it possible for booklovers around the country to participate in the event. Interviews capturing their latest works and inspiration are available with Warren Brown, Joseph Bruchac, Sharon M. Draper, Arthur Frommer and Pauline Frommer, Jan Brett, Jon Scieszka, R.L. Stine and Kay Ryan. More podcasts with festival authors, illustrators and poets will be uploaded in the coming weeks.

Other interactive features include event Webcasts, which will be made available this year and have been archived from previous festivals. The Library also will soon launch an updated version of the Young Readers' Online Toolkit to bring the festival into libraries, schools and homes across the country.

You can find out more about this year's National Book Festival, interactive features, and the full list of participating authors, illustrators and poets by visiting www.loc.gov/bookfest.

Don't forget to download and display the 2008 National Book Festival Poster (http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/2008/poster.html) in your home, school, local library and community (right click image to save to your desktop or print).

SPECIAL NOTE: The Library has created a Web site for members of the media to download background materials, high-resolution images, video and audio sound bites, b-roll and other audiovisual resources, as well as to request interviews with participating authors. This information can be accessed via the Press Registration (http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/registration.php) link. This release will be updated periodically.

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