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G2S Project Code: 2020-LA-84817
State: Louisiana
Fiscal Year: 2020
Grantee
State Library of Louisiana

Project Director
Director Name: Jim Davis
Director Phone: 225-342-9714
Director Email: jdavis@slol.lib.la.us
General Information
Title: Louisiana Book Festival
State Project Code:
Start Date: 10/01/2019
End Date: 09/30/2021
Abstract: The seventeenth annual Louisiana Book Festival had to be postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic that prevented live gatherings.  The festival is the Louisiana Center for the Book’s primary event in achieving its mission to promote literacy, reading, and education and to showcase Louisiana authors and its publishers. The festival is also the single largest event put on annually by the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, and in fact, the state.  To maintain these goals of the Center and its festival, throughout the remainder of the fiscal year it presented virtual programs. The Louisiana Writer Award presentation which usually kicks off the festival became a virtual program recorded via Zoom, posted on the festival YouTube channel in November and promoted via social media, with a discussion between the recipient John Barry and Louisiana Library and Book Festival Foundation Board Member Robert Mann about Barry’s body of work, including the timely The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History and his contribution to the literary heritage of Louisiana.  Other virtual programs included a Black History Month presentation featuring Brian K. Mitchell talking about his book Monumental: Oscar Dunn and His Radical Fight in Reconstruction Louisiana with Nick Wheldon of The Historic New Orleans Collection as moderator.  In April for National Poetry Month, “Just Listen to Yourself: The Louisiana Poet Laureate Presents Louisiana Poets” featuring Louisiana Poet Laureate John Warner Smith and six poets from across the state read from their work, and a retrospective of the previous ten years of these programs featured the originator, Poet Laureate Darrell Bourque and all former poet laureates who had hosted this program during their tenures.  Also in April, an international author exchange between Louisiana and New Brunswick, Canada, to have commented at the2020 book festival was instead initiated virtually between us and the Frye Festival, Moncton, NB, virtually, with the Louisiana Center for the Book coordinating the participation of the editor of and contributors to Ô Malheureuse: French Writings by Louisiana Women at the Frye’s virtual festival and accessible to the Louisiana festival audience. In July, in cooperation with the Library of Congress Center for the Book as its affiliate, the Louisiana Center for the Book presented an extensive interview with children’s author William Joyce discussing The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore and his many other books and films, apart of which was included after a reading from the book by Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy as part of the LC’s “Read Around the States” literacy promotion. 

Even during the pandemic, the Louisiana Book Festival continued to serve as a model for local and regional festivals and programs across the state, turning to us for guidance in alternative means of presenting programs and information.  After taking the lead with our festival postponement, other book festivals followed suit once we announced that for the safety of all concerned the difficult decision had to be made.

State Goal: Literacy and Education
Budget Information
LSTA
MATCH-State
MATCH-Other
Total
$126,109.00
$66,708.00
$0.00
$192,817.00
Intent(s)
Improve users' general knowledge and skills.
Arts, Culture & Humanities
Literacy
Activities
Activity Details
Title: 2020 Virtual Programs
Narrative:

Although the seventeenth annual festival could not be held, the alternative offerings nevertheless offered virtual attendees educational and informational opportunities that celebrate the state’s culture and history, just as the festival would have.  As with the festival, there were booktalks, panel discussions, Louisiana authors, Louisiana subjects, albeit on a necessarily smaller scale.  One virtual program in particular served as outreach for children (a perennial component of the festival) via children’s author Johnette Downing’s program suitable for public library and classroom programs, as it is about levee bonfires, a Louisiana Christmas tradition, and included an associated craft activity.  This program was created in association with the Library of Congress’s “Great Reads from Great Places” program which itself had to go virtual when the National Book Festival was cancelled.

The comments section of social media (Facebook) and of YouTube served as opportunity for participant feedback.




Intent: Improve users' general knowledge and skills.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Program
Format: In-person


Quantity
Session length (minutes): 60
Number of sessions in program: 6
Average number in attendance per session: 168
Number of times program administered: 6


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: Yes
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: General


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: Yes
Specific Locations: No
Library Types
Public Libraries: 340
Academic Libraries: 0
SLAA: 1
Consortia: 0
Special Libraries: 0
School Libraries: 0
Other: 4
Question 1: I learned something by participating in this library activity.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 1
Question 2: I feel more confident about what I just learned.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 1
Question 3: I intend to apply what I just learned.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 1
Question 4: I am more aware of resources and services provided by the library.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 1
Question 5: I am more likely to use other library resources and services.
Strongly Agree: 0
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 1
Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
In spite of the festival’s huge popularity, the health and safety of all concerned was paramount and the difficult but necessary decision to not hold the live, in-person festival had to be made. This lead to having to evaluate alternative modes of program delivery, evaluating virtual platforms, scheduling and recording programs in the virtual environment, with a necessary learning curve for participants, the festival, and attendees alike. Knowledge and skills were acquired that can be utilized as needed in the future should it become necessary to pivot to a virtual festival, depending upon the length of the pandemic and restrictions placed on gatherings. Post-production and editing of programs and the promotion of them via virtual means, social media, and the Internet have become part of the festival tool kit.
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:
Presenting the alternative programs virtually has meant that the reach of the Louisiana Center for the Book and the State Library of Louisiana has expanded beyond the region and state borders. Literally anyone with an Internet connection can access the virtual programs; whereas with the live festival, participation is limited to those who can physically attend. Also, the programs can be offered throughout the year rather than all in one day, and they can remain available indefinitely via hosting on YouTube and the like, at viewer convenience. Our national and international reputation has continued to grow now that anyone anywhere can experience the programming.
Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:
All programming need not be limited to physical space; alternative virtual forms of programming are viable means of delivery. Promotion focused on particular aspects of interest and particular groups, including print and social media, is extremely important in attracting a diverse crowd. It is of vital importance to promote the event often through media releases focusing on different aspects of the festival for targeted audiences. The frequent and ongoing use of social media promoting participating authors and programs keeps potential attendees engaged and interested and targeted emailing to media and interested individuals has effectively increased festival awareness.
Do you anticipate continuing this project after the current reporting period ends:
Yes
Do you anticipate any change in level of effort in managing this project:
No
Explain:

Do you anticipate changing the types of activities and objectives addressed by the project:
No
Explain:

Was an evaluation conducted for this project:
Yes
Was a final written evaluation report produced:
Yes
Can the final written evaluation report be shared publicly on the IMLS website:
No
Was the evaluation conducted by project staff (either SLAA or local library) or by a third-party evaluator:
Third-Party
What data collection tools were used for any report outcomes and outputs:
Did you collect any media for the data:
What types of methods were used to analyze collected data:
Other:
How were participants (or items) selected:
What type of research design did you use to compare the value for any reported output or outcome:
Exemplary: Yes
Exemplary NarrativeWith the festival’s reputation having been established, it was seen as a go-to model for how to respond to the pandemic crisis (decision to cancel, alternative virtual delivery, promotion). For 16 years, the State Library of Louisiana has created one of the largest events produced by a state agency in Louisiana, which is free and provides programs for all ages and interests. More than 300,000 people have attended those festivals and have interacted with over 3,400 award-winning authors from all over the world. This is an exemplary public-private partnership that combines the efforts of state, local, and federal agencies, the library foundation and other non-profits, cultural and historical organizations, private businesses, community volunteers, authors, and exhibitors. The Louisiana Book Festival has been recognized nationally and internationally and the staff's knowledge and expertise has been routinely sought by organizers of events in other cities and states.
Project Tags: books, festival, authors