The National Book Festival emphasizes the joy of books and reading, and there are many ways you can carry this spirit into your school, your local public library, and even your home. Dozens of good ideas will be presented at the festival, particularly in the Pavilion of the States.

School Libraries

Open your library on September 24 to host a virtual National Book Festival as it happens. CSPAN BookTV will have live and delayed coverage featuring presentations from the "History & Biography" pavilion and selected author interviews. Or use your library's Internet connection to display live webcasts all day from the "Children & Teens," "Fiction & Fantasy" and "Mysteries & Thrillers" pavilions.

Invite one of the National Book Festival authors or illustrators to appear at your school.

Open your school library in the evening and invite teachers and parents to read from their favorite books.

Start a DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) program.

Post a daily trivia question in the library and encourage everyone to use the library's collection to find the answer.

Create a poetry pillar where everyone can write his or her poem.

Develop a reading challenge project that is complete with a distinctive symbol for the books that are read. For example, the symbol might be a silhouette of your school mascot, a distinctive architectural feature at your school, or a notable building in your community, and that symbol could be displayed in the library or throughout the school.

Develop a "kids recommend" section in the library. One way to attract attention would be to take library titles that have been rebound in plain covers and have kids read those books, then make new illustrated covers and write jacket blurbs for these "kid recommendations."

Public Libraries

Set up your library's community meeting rooms to host a virtual National Book Festival showing the book festival as it happens on CSPAN BookTV and the Library of Congress Web site.

Host your own book festival by spotlighting books written and illustrated by the National Book Festival's featured authors, illustrators, and poets.

Promote your library through a canned food drive that concludes with a reading of food-related books, a cooking demonstration, and a tasting.

Hold a concert in the library that promotes books and music.

Offer books as prizes for bingo games and other contests.

Hold a book swap event, especially one where young readers can swap up to a new reading level.

Learn how to be a storyteller through a "You be the storyteller" project.

Families

With your family, watch and discuss the broadcast and webcasts of author presentations at the National Book Festival.

Read and share with your family books written by National Book Festival authors.

Form a family book club.

Make a family trip to visit homes of famous authors in your state.

Write down and then discuss everyone's favorite story about one particular event such as a family trip or a special day.

You

Choose a favorite National Book Festival author and read all of that author's books.

Listen to a spoken word recording instead of music once a week.

Take a virtual visit to an art museum and then write a story or poem about your favorite picture.

Be a "book buddy" and share a book with someone from school, in a nursing or retirement community, or from your office.

Join a book discussion group.

Read the book or short story that is the basis of a favorite movie.

Tuck a book into your purse, briefcase, or backpack and read whenever you can, wherever you are.