Event | Lectures and Symposia My Book Is Talking to Me: Live Audiobook Readings

Audiobooks have exploded in popularity and show no signs of slowing. During this event, you’ll hear from leading voice actors Michael Kramer, Kimberly Schraf and Dawn Ursula about how they bring a writer’s work to life, courtesy of the creators of the first talking book, The Library of Congress’ National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. Moderated by Kathryn Marguy.

Moderator Kathryn Marguy is a public affairs specialist at the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled.

Michael Kramer joined the staff of the Library of Congress talking-book program in 1993. His narration has received over a dozen AudioFile Magazine Earphones Awards, a Publishers Weekly ListenUp Award, a Vocal Artist nomination, two Stabbie Awards, and two Audio Publishers Association Audie Awards in 2015 and most recently in 2022 for narrating Brandon Sanderson’s fantasy novel, “Rhythm of War” along with his wife, Kate Reading. In addition to audiobook narration, Kramer has been a District of Columbia-area theater artist for over 35 years and received a Helen Hayes Ensemble Award nomination with the cast of “Never the Sinner” for his portrayal of Clarence Darrow.

Kimberly Schraf is a veteran of 37 years of book narration and acting on the professional stage. She has performed at numerous theatres in the District of Columbia and Baltimore, Maryland, and has narrated over 600 audiobooks. Among her favorite titles are “Savage Beauty,” “A Map of the World,” “Little Altars Everywhere,” “The Shipping News,” and “The Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson.” In 2002 Schraf received the Alexander Scourby Award for Fiction honoring her narration of “Bee Season” by Myla Goldberg. When she is not treading the boards or recording in studio, Schraf teaches at The Parkmont School, an alternative high school, and The Theatre Lab, offering theater instruction to adults.

Dawn Ursula came to book narration and voice-over work from a career in theater and on camera that included company membership with both Everyman Theatre and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, two Helen Hayes awards and numerous nominations, and over 20 years portraying a number of incredible characters. She has been with the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled since 2013, and in 2020 she built a professional home recording studio and has been focused full time on audiobook narration, voice-over work and book production.