Originally created to expand the reach of the Texas Book Festival held annually in Austin, Texas, the San Antonio Book Festival (SABF), presented at the San Antonio Public Library’s (SAPL) Central Library, sought to bring high caliber authors and literary celebrities from various genres straight to the people of San Antonio and the surrounding region. Additionally, the SABF was designed to drive awareness of SAPL and its services and to encourage reading to people of all ages. The SABF, which took place on April 5, 2014, included a full roster of readings, discussions, demonstrations, children’s activities, music, food, and more at this one-day event. The program also included a “Literary Death Match” at the conclusion of the festival with celebrity authors reading and performing scenes from their works.

As part of its commitment to encouraging attendance and participation by the community, a marketing campaign was developed to promote the SABF which included viral elements and PSA for both radio and television. Children from area schools and community centers were bused in and invited to attend readings and performances by children’s authors and to participate in various crafts activities that encouraged the use of imagination and creativity. More than 90 acclaimed national and regional authors appeared, including television news icon Jane Pauley and fiction writer Philip Meyer. Other notable presenters included: Texas Medal of the Arts winner Sandra Cisneros, Former Mayor of Houston Bill White, Poet Laureate of Texas Rosemary Catacalos, National Book Award Finalist Kevin Powers, Pulitzer Prize –winning journalist Nick Kotz, Laura Lippman and Kathleen Kent, 2014 Caldecott Medal winner Brian Floca, National Book Award winner Barry Lopez, Wall Street Journal senior energy reporter Russell Gold, Prominent essayist Richard Rodriguez, and St. Mary’s University Professor Refugio “Ito” Romo.

In only its second year, the San Antonio Book Festival secured major statewide media coverage and public attendance surpassed 8,000 (almost double the attendance of its first festival in 2013). Additionally, C-SPAN2 will re-broadcast several lectures and readings on April 18-20, 2014.