Insight

              large, festive crowd poured into the Illinois
State Library during the weekend of October
26-27 to celebrate the 2001 Illinois Authors Book
Fair. Festivities began Friday with several of the 56
participating authors visiting Springfield area
middle and high schools for reading programs and
to discuss their books.
On Friday evening, a buffet reception honoring the
authors was held beneath a three-story long
American flag in the atrium of the library. Secretary
of State and State Librarian Jesse White welcomed
the authors and praised the work of the Illinois
Center for the Book, co-sponsor of the Book Fair.
The Book Fair commenced at 9 a.m. on Saturday
with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Peck a winner - Richard Peck, winner of the 2001
Newbery Medal — the highest award in children’s
literature — was presented with the State Library’s
first annual Illinois Author of the Year award. A
Decatur native now living in New York City, Peck
was delighted to be back in central Illinois and
captivated book lovers young and old throughout
the two-day event. An overflow crowd at the Book
Fair listened to Peck discuss writing books for
children, and patrons waited in long lines
throughout the day to have Peck sign their books.
Hot topics - Literary
genres, including mystery,
romance, history, science
fiction, politics, cooking,
gardening and sports,
were showcased at this
year’s Book Fair. A dozen
authors held discussions
about their works, and
others conducted
workshops on various
topics, such as the James
Bond phenomenon, the
Second Golden Age of Mystery and writing humor
and fiction.
TV’s Benson a hit - Making a surprise appearance
at the Book Fair was veteran actor and children’s
author Robert Guillaume, known to millions as
television’s “Benson.” Guillaume is a friend of
Secretary White’s and was in central Illinois for a
series of book signings.
Puppets and more - Children were entertained by
the Elsenpeter Marionettes and children’s storyteller
Mike Anderson. And the library atrium rang out
with steady applause during an electrifying noon-time
encore performance by the Jesse White
Tumbling Team.
Buck a Book - A steady stream of patrons met
throughout the day with book appraiser John Paul,
who appraised rare books for $1 per book, with
proceeds going to the Illinois Center for the Book.
Fairgoers came from
throughout the state,
including a busload of
book lovers from the
Charleston Public Library.
Proceeds from the Book
Fair help fund reading
programs and new books
for the State Library’s
Illinois Authors Reading
Room. November/December
in
this
issue
Illinois Authors
Book Fair
ILA Conference
New Project Next
Generation sites
Crime victim
assistance at
libraries
Festive crowd marks 2001
Illinois Authors Book Fair
Mike Anderson of Jacksonville (seated left) was one of 56
Illinois authors who met with Book Fair patrons and
autographed books. 2001
Jesse White • Secretary of State & State Librarian
A Newsletter from the Illinois State Library
INSIGHT
Richard Peck (center) received the first Illinois Author of
the Year award at the Illinois Authors Book Fair reception.
Joining Peck are, left to right: Illinois Center for the Book
President Robert Bibbee; State Library Director Jean
Wilkins; Book Fair coordinator Carole Gair; and Secretary
of State and State Librarian Jesse White.