Calling All Local Authors of Kids and Teen Books

# Be a Part of Jax Book Fest 2025

Jax Book Fest is a big, bold celebration of authors, authorship, and the written word—held annually at the Main Library in Downtown Jacksonville. This year, Jax Book Fest is being held over two Saturdays in September. The first weekend will focus on workshops for local writers; the second Saturday will be devoted to young readers and connecting them with books they'll love.

Join us at Jax Book Fest: Youth Readers' Day from 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 20. 

Open Call for Local Authors

We are looking for local authors who have published books for children and/or teen readers. As one of our Jax Book Fest local authors, you'll meet new readers and have the opportunity sell and sign copies of your book(s) alongside New York Times bestselling author and U.S. National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, Mac Barnett, and other authors of regional and national acclaim.

Just announced: Shannon Messenger, the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Keeper of the Lost Cities series will be joining us for a Teen Lit Chat Interview and book signing!

# Author Selection Criteria

The primary, but not in totality, criteria for selection are:

• Preference will be given to authors local to Duval County, then surrounding counties. For the purposes of this event and our Local Author Collection, "local" includes authors living in:
  • Duval, Nassau, Clay, St. Johns, Baker, Union, and Bradford Counties in Florida, and Camden, Charlton, and Glynn Counties in Georgia
• Public demand and interest
• Critical reviews
• Presentation and readability
• The author’s or artist’s reputation and significance
• Reputation and standing of the publisher
• Availability of the information or material elsewhere
• Local or national significance of the author, artist or topic
• Compatibility of the e-material with our digital platforms or quality of the physical format
• The author must represent and warrant full ownership and/or legal rights to publish all material in the book(s), including artwork.

Waitlist

Rejected applicants may be placed on a waitlist. In the event that an accepted author is not able to attend the Jax Book Fest, authors on the waitlist will be notified. Should you not wish to be placed on the waitlist, please let us know.

# What to Expect as an Exhibitor

Details Regarding Setup

A six-foot rectangular table (and two chairs) will be provided to each author. Setup will take place from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. on the first and second floor of the Main Library. You will be assigned a floor and table number and provided with a floor plan. Staff and/or volunteers will be on the floor and available to provide directions. Note: Exhibitors are responsible for tablecloths, signage, and other materials needed for an attractive booth space. We cannot guarantee access to electricity. Free public Wi-Fi is available but can be slow during big events.

Exhibitors may begin breaking down their booths at 1:55 p.m. Note: Library staff and volunteers will not be available to help set up or break down booths. Please plan accordingly.

Parking at the Fest

Free street parking is available on Saturdays. Parking is also available in the garage at the corner of Main Street and 33 W. Duval Street. Note: During special events, there is a $5 cash charge for parking and there is no validation for Library customers.

What to Bring

Exhibitors are responsible for bringing, storing, and selling their own books and other materials. We recommend bringing at least 5 – 10 copies of your book(s). If you think you will sell more, bring more. You are also responsible for bringing your own cash and/or card readers for book sales. Note: The Library cannot make change for exhibitors and no banks located downtown are open on Saturday. 

Authors are strongly advised to bring a second person to speak to visitors and transact sales on your behalf if you wish to attend Lit Chat programs or other presentations during the Fest. Library staff and volunteers are not allowed to man tables or conduct transactions.

# Authors: Join Us A Week Early

Jax Book Fest: Writers' Day is an opportunity for aspiring writers and up-and-coming local authors to grow in their craft and learn about all of the free resources offered by Jacksonville Public Library and our community partners. For the last couple of years, it's been scheduled on a Friday afternoon. It was moved to a Saturday this year to give even more writers like you a chance to attend.

Whether you're exhibiting on September 20 or not, we hope you'll join us from 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 13, in the Conference Center at the Main Library. There will be over a dozen different workshops—lead by publishers, authors, and other industry insiders. Workshops are organized into one of three tracks and spread out over four breakout sessions.

Learn more or pre-register

# Supporting Local Authors All Year Long

Jacksonville Public Library strives to make the work of Jacksonville-area authors more accessible to the reading public. To that end, we offer monthly Writer's Lab workshops, Lit Chat author talks, free self-publishing tools, and curated collections all to highlight and help encourage local authorship. 

Click the links below to find out more:

• Donate Your Book to the Local Author Collection
• Market your Book to the Library (if you would like the Library to purchase your book)
• Learn how to give us your e-book at Self-Publishing your e-Book with the Library
• Find other Jax authors in the #ReadLocal Collection on BiblioBoard Library
• Attend an upcoming Writer's Lab workshop or Lit Chat author program
• Watch past Lit Chat Interviews on YouTube or listen on our Completely Booked podcast

Get featured in an upcoming Lit Chat or Writer's Lab

• Review our policy for Library Programs for the Public and complete a Suggest a Program Form
• If you have questions about the form, please email us at jplprograms@coj.net.