Keep up with our literary programming—no matter where you live. Dive in to discover writers and performances featured at the Library of Congress.
Featured Videos
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Film, VideoU.S. Poet Laureate Arthur Sze Opening Reading Award-winning poet Arthur Sze gave his inaugural reading as the 25th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress. The historic reading marked the beginning of Sze’s laureateship.- Contributor: Sze, Arthur - Newlen, Robert Randolph - Fernández, Rep. Teresa Leger
- Date: 2025-12-11
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Film, VideoKatherine Rundell Presents The Impossible Creatures Series Do you love a thrilling adventure, feisty characters, and a world full of remarkable creatures? Join Katherine Rundell, author of the bestselling children’s fantasy novel “Impossible Creatures,” as she shares the next book in the series, “The Poisoned King,” with fans of all things magical. Katherine Rundell is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of “Impossible Creatures” and “The Poisoned King.” Her other…- Contributor: Dowdy, Sasha - Rundell, Katherine
- Date: 2025-09-27
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Film, VideoLive! At The Library: An Evening with Mary Roach We live in a technologically advanced era, but is it so advanced that replacement body parts are common, even grown from 3D printers? What does it mean to be human when body parts may come from printers or animals? With her infectious curiosity, bestselling author Mary Roach, talked about her new book “Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy,” at this event. Mary Roach is…- Contributor: Harbster, Jennifer - Roach, Mary - Larson, Christina
- Date: 2025-09-25
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Film, VideoBlack Literary Heroes with A’Lelia Bundles and Glory Edim An evening celebrating Black women writers and literary heroes with A’Lelia Bundles (“Joy Goddess”), whose great-grandmother A’Lelia Walker was crucial to the Harlem Renaissance, and Glory Edim, whose new book is “Gather Me: A Memoir in Praise of the Books That Saved Me.” Marita Golden, novelist and co-founder of the Hurston/Wright Foundation, moderated.- Contributor: Edim, Glory - Bundles, A'lelia - Smith, Clay - Golden, Marita
- Date: 2025-07-17
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Film, VideoIntroduction to U.S. Poet Laureate Arthur Sze. An interview with Arthur Sze, 25th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress. Interview conducted by Roswell Encina, former chief of the Office of Communications, Outreach and External Relations, on July 18, 2025 in the Thomas Jefferson Building.- Contributor: Sze, Arthur
- Date: 2025-07-17
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Film, VideoFamily Day: Juneteenth Author Program with Jewell Parker Rhodes As part of Family Day, bestselling and award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes discussed her new middle grade novel, “Will’s Race for Home,” a thrilling adventure story about a boy and his father who set out to win land during the Oklahoma Land Rush – if they can survive the journey. Set in 1889, twenty-five years after the Emancipation Proclamation, this story will resonate with…- Contributor: Dowdy, Sasha - Brewer, Caroline - Rhodes, Jewell Parker
- Date: 2025-06-21
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Film, VideoJonathan Capehart in Conversation with Michele Norris Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jonathan Capehart came to the Library to talk about his memoir, “Yet Here I Am: Lessons from a Black Man’s Search for Home.” Capehart was in conversation with journalist Michele Norris.- Contributor: Norris, Michele - Capehart, Jonathan - Encina, Roswell
- Date: 2025-06-05
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Film, VideoThomas Mallon on the Early Days of the HIV/AIDS Crisis Novelist Thomas Mallon talked about his recently-published book,”The Very Heart of It: New York Diaries, 1983-1994″ with Clay Smith. In 2022, The New Yorker published a selection of Mallon’s diaries from the early days of the HIV/AIDS crisis. The response was immense. The Library holds Mallon’s personal archives, including his diaries, book and article drafts, research files, and correspondence.- Contributor: Mallon, Thomas - Smith, Clay - Encina, Roswell
- Date: 2025-06-05
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Film, VideoMary Oliver Memorial Reading The second annual reading Mary Oliver Memorial Reading at the Library of Congress highlighted emerging poets writing on the natural world. Bestselling poet and writer Aimee Nezhukumatathil read with emerging poets Ariana Benson and Robin Walter. A moderated discussion and book signing followed the reading. Ariana Benson’s debut poetry collection, “Black Pastoral,” won the Cave Canem Poetry Prize, the Kate Tufts Discovery Award and…- Contributor: Casper, Rob - Walter, Robin - Benson, Ariana - Werb, Shari - Nezhukumatathil, Aimee
- Date: 2025-05-29
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Film, VideoPoet Laureate Closing Event with Ada Limón To conclude her historic two-term, three-year appointment as U.S. Poet Laureate, Ada Limón talked about the art of poetry. Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress from 2022-2025, Ada Limón is the author of six books of poetry-including “The Carrying,” which won the National Book Critics Circle Award. Her book “Bright Dead Things” was nominated for the National Book Award, the…- Contributor: Hayden, Carla - Limón, Ada
- Date: 2025-04-17
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Film, Video“The Great Gatsby” at 100: A Public Reading On the exact 100th anniversary of the publication date of “The Great Gatsby,” the Library of Congress is producing a full reading of the novel, livestreamed from our Thomas Jefferson building on Capitol Hill. Be an old sport and join us in-person or online to experience this classic American novel which entered the public domain in 2021.- Contributor: Lofton, Jeffrey - Werb, Bret - Montgomery, Mimi - Werb, Shari - Smith, Monica M. - Newlen, Robert - Sommers, Hannah - Fox, Susan - Baiorunos, Karen - Harcourt, Xander ... Lofton, Jeffrey - Werb, Bret - Montgomery, Mimi - Werb, Shari - Smith, Monica M. - Newlen, Robert - Sommers, Hannah - Fox, Susan - Baiorunos, Karen - Harcourt, Xander - Harbster, Jennifer "Jj" - Yang, Eun - Amar, Chilli - Dickerson, Ashley - Broughton, Jason - Charles, Ron - Martin, Michael - Smith, Clay - Klitzman, Zach - Long, Marissa - Montelongo, Ofelia - Thuronyi, George - Neary, Denise - Ramsey, Ryan - Encina, Roswell - Choie, Diane - Chenevey, Steve - Philion, Norm - Schraf, Kim - Riddell, Julia
- Date: 2025-04-10
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Film, VideoDiscovery Night: Mindy Weisberger and Rebecca Lemov At a special discovery night at the Library, nonfiction writers Mindy Weisberger and Rebecca Lemov discussed their new books. In “Rise of the Zombie Bugs,” Weisberger reveals the history of zombifying parasitic insects. Lemov’s “The Instability of Truth: Brainwashing, Mind Control, and Hyper-Persuasion” details the hidden history of brainwashing.- Contributor: Smith, Clay - Lemov, Rebecca - Weisberger, Mindy - Encina, Roswell
- Date: 2025-04-03
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Film, VideoDouglas Kearney with Ron Charles Douglas Kearney speaks with Washington Post Book Critic Ron Charles about his groundbreaking new collection of visual poems, “I Imagine I Been Science Fiction Always.” Douglas Kearney has published eight books ranging from poetry to essays. In 2023, “Optic Subwoof,” a collection of his Bagley Wright lectures, won the Poetry Foundation’s Pegasus Prize for Poetry Criticism and the CLMP Firecracker Award for Creative Nonfiction.…- Contributor: Charles, Ron - Smith, Clay - Kearney, Douglas
- Date: 2025-02-27
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Film, VideoStory Time for Grownups with National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Award-winning author-illustrators Cece Bell and Raúl the Third, and 2008-2009 National Ambassador for Young People Literature Jon Scieszka, believe that picture books are important and give us an opportunity to be playful and mischievous, no matter our age. Learn about the surprising mechanics and artistry of picture books, enjoy stimulating read-alouds and indulge in storytime-themed beverages. We provide the blankets and hot chocolate, you…- Contributor: Scieszka, Jon - Bell, Cece - Barnett, Mac - The Third, Raúl - Creightney, Anya
- Date: 2025-02-06
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Film, VideoNational Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Inauguration: Mac Barnett Award-winning author Mac Barnett will be inaugurated as the 2025-2026 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, the ninth writer to hold this position. Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden will lead a conversation with Barnett during the ceremony. The National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature is an initiative of the Library of Congress, in partnership with Every Child a Reader, with generous support from The…- Contributor: Klassen, Jon - Barnett, Mac - Hayden, Carla - Birkhead, Shaina - Creightney, Anya
- Date: 2025-02-06
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Film, VideoMeet Dav Pilkey! Meet bestselling author and illustrator Dav Pilkey! Inspired by one of the themes in the Dog Man series – that ordinary people can do extraordinarily good deeds – the event shined a spotlight on everyday heroes who make a positive impact in their own communities. Join the library for a very special start to Dav Pilkey’s U.S. tour at the world’s largest library! Dav…- Contributor: Hayden, Carla - Pilkey, Dav
- Date: 2025-01-29
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Film, VideoA Conversation with Brooke Shields Brooke Shields has been in the public eye since she was a child, really. As an actor and model, she was everywhere. Now, at 59, she’s a “woman of a certain age.” Judging from her new memoir, “Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old,” she feels more comfortable than ever. Shields talks with Nora O’Donnell of CBS about aging with power and grace.- Contributor: Hayden, Carla - O'Donnell, Norah - Shields, Brooke
- Date: 2025-01-28
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Film, VideoMeg Medina: Closing Celebration for the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Meg Medina closed her tenure as the 2023-2024 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature by celebrating her video program, “Cuéntame! Let’s Talk Books.” Medina, the first Latina in the role, served a two-year term and inspired children across the nation to talk about their favorite books, connected families to established childrens’ authors via her video series and invited families to special visits at the…- Contributor: Davis, Reginaed - Greenfield, Max - Casineros Dance Company - Medina, Meg - Hayden, Carla - Birkhead, Shaina - Muie, James - Creightney, Anya
- Date: 2024-12-12
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Film, VideoCuéntame! Let’s Talk Books with Cece Bell Meg’s guest in this next installment is also an artist and musician–not to mention delightfully silly! You’ll have a great time hearing from cartoonist and children’s book author Cece Bell, who tells Meg how she learned to draw as a kid, how she came to write a book about growing up deaf, and how she put together the amazing book-album-music video combo, “Animal Albums…- Contributor: Medina, Meg - Bell, Cece
- Date: 2024-12-10
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Film, VideoCuéntame! Let’s Talk Books with Gene Luen Yang What happens when you put two National Ambassadors for Young People’s Literature together? Pure joy and overflowing love for books, of course! Gene Luen Yang (the fifth Ambassador) joined Meg Medina (the eighth Ambassador) at the 2024 National Book Festival to talk books, comic books, art, drawing and the magic of words and stories, particularly those that help us keep going when life gets…- Contributor: Medina, Meg - Yang, Gene Luen
- Date: 2024-12-10
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Film, Video2024 Bobbitt Prize Winner Arthur Sze Arthur Sze, winner of the 2024 Rebekah Bobbitt Johnson National Prize for Poetry for Lifetime Achievement, reads some of his poems with details about his evolution as a poet, insights about his creative process and ideas of exploration and freedom in context of the American experience. Following the talk, Sze participated in a conversation with Rob Casper, head of Poetry and Literature at the…- Contributor: Casper, Robert - Sze, Arthur - Bobbitt, Philip
- Date: 2024-12-05
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Film, VideoCuéntame! Let’s Talk Books with Lamar Giles From his fourth grade story “Giant Dinosaur Inside” to young-adult horror book “The Getaway,” Lamar Giles has long been writing books for kids of all ages and continues to enjoy his craft. Join his conversation with Meg Medina as he describes the thrill of writing thrillers, his delight in superheroes (spoiler alert: Static is awesome!) and the joys of storytelling in comics.- Contributor: Medina, Meg - Giles, Lamar
- Date: 2024-11-19
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Film, VideoCuéntame! Let’s Talk Books with Sabaa Tahir Bestselling fantasy author Sabaa Tahir joins Meg to talk about why fantasy appealed to her as a teen and why it keeps her wanting to read forever. She explains how her books, such as the “Ember in the Ashes” series, cover difficult topics like colonialism, war and family problems, but also feature epic battle scenes and swoony romances, all the while letting characters who…- Contributor: Medina, Meg - Tahir, Sabaa
- Date: 2024-11-19
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Film, VideoCuéntame! Let’s Talk Books with Traci Sorell Traci Sorell, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, is an author of many books celebrating Native American culture. These include picture books like “Powwow Day” and “We Are Still Here: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know,” as well as middle grade novels such as “Mascot.” She celebrates her native heritage and discusses “Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua” by…- Contributor: Sorell, Traci - Medina, Meg
- Date: 2024-10-30
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Film, VideoCuéntame! Let’s Talk Books with Ellen Oh Ellen Oh wears many hats: as a writer of middle grade books (“Spirit Hunters,” “You Are Here”), an editor of anthologies (“Flying Lessons”), a CEO and president of the nonprofit We Need Diverse Books and an appreciator of graphic novels. She talks about “March: Book Three,” a graphic novel memoir by the late Congressman John Lewis, written with Andrew Aydin and with art by…- Contributor: Medina, Meg - Oh, Ellen
- Date: 2024-10-30