BRONX LIBRARY CENTER, BRONX, NY- The Bronx Library Center opened their space this past weekend for the Bronx Book Fair. The event brought together authors, illustrators, publishers, entrepreneurs, poets, educators, and musicians from the borough to inspire their communities and share their love of reading. Those who attended enjoyed participating in workshops, panels, readings, and presentations.
The fair began with opening remarks from the Bronx Library Center’s Jean Harripersaud and the executive producer of Poets Network &Exchange Inc., Lorraine Currelley. Tiffany Papageorge launched her new book, My Yellow Balloon, with a bilingual reading. Attendees took notes at panels, workshops, and presentations. The panels in the auditorium included topics about publishing, community health, career advice, copyrighting, and women in leadership. A panel of librarians discussed their book recommendations.
Noëlle Santos, owner of the upcoming Bronx bookstore The LitBar, gave a motivational speech. She is the first female keynote speaker for the Bronx Book Fair and owned it. Santos described how she was inspired to take a stand for her borough after watching two young women from the South Bronx protest the closing of the Bay Plaza Barnes & Noble location in 2014. Santos decided to prove that the people of her borough still loved to read, and with training and many sleepless nights, her dream of opening a bookshop and wine bar is about to come true later this summer.
The conference rooms held workshops for the writer in all of us. Educators taught about different aspects in writing such as photography, romance writing, fiction writing, world building, and fighting writers’ block to complete a project.
Book vendors, publishing houses, authors, and illustrators had tables set up to promote their books. Penguin Random House, Boogie Down Books, and The LitBar were some of the vendors inspiring young Bronxites to read. D.M Charles and Drake Tinta, creators of the comic Ninja Express, shared enthusiastically their characters and merchandise to curious comic book fans.
The Bronx Book Fair is only the beginning for promoting reading in the borough. On May 19th, the Bronx Book Festival will be taking place at Fordham Plaza. Happy reading everyone!
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For more information about The LitBar click here.
Photos: Rosa Elena Burgos
Last Updated: January 7, 2022