April 21

BookMarkIt ~ 11 a.m.–1:00 p.m., Library Plaza
Letterpress printing, pamphlet stitching, a book arts display, wrapped mystery books and giveaways, zinemaking and zine swaps, a book drive supporting the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture, the Baltimore County Bookmobile, bookish swag, and more!

One Maryland, One Book ~ 5:00–6:30 p.m., 312 University Center
In collaboration with Maryland Humanities’ One Maryland, One Book program, BookFest will welcome Lawrence Burney, the author of the 2026 OMOB selection No Sense in Wishing. Burney will be in conversation with writer Chris Terry (assistant professor of English) about his essay collection. Refreshments will be served!

April 23

WORKSHOP: Understanding Attacks on Libraries ~ 12:00-1:00 p.m., AOK Library Room 259. Registration is required: REGISTER HERE. What should you know about the current assaults on authors, readers, libraries, and librarians? Join Allison Jennings-Roche (UMBC Alum and Associate Director of Digital Initiatives and Collections at The University of Baltimore Library & Archives) for a lunch-and-learn. Lunch will be served. Register today to secure your spot! 

Freedom to Read: Libraries and Our Democracy ~ 5:00–6:30 p.m. — AOK Library Gallery
What can we do to protect the right to read and to ensure access to our nation’s library services? Maryland State Librarian Morgan Lehr Miller will be joined by some of Maryland's most distinguished librarians and advocates for a panel discussion on protecting our rights. Refreshments will be served!

GIVE! Throughout BookFest, we will be raising funds for Friends of the Maryland Library for the Blind and Print Disabled (LBPD), a non-profit that supports the LBPD in its mission to make reading and all library services accessible to Marylanders!

We hope to see you there and please spread the word! 

Hi working group members!

We're really ramping up advertising for BookFest '26 and I wanted to share a folder with our advertising materials so that you can post in your own departments, areas, and circles. We will be papering campus with print materials soon and we are also continously updating the website for BookFest, which has descriptions of each event. The only thing missing at the moment is the library advocacy workshop, slated for Thursday, April 23 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. Details on that should roll out in the next 48 hours. 

Here is a link to the website: https://english.umbc.edu/english-events/umbc-bookfest-26/

Here is a link to a shared folder of advertising materials: BookFest Advertising 

Thanks for your willingness to help make this event series a success!

Please join us on Friday, April 3 from 12:00-12:45 p.m. for a brief update on BookFest planning. We will share our confirmed schedule of events, advertising materials, and discuss volunteer opportunities. If you are unable to make it, we will circulate meeting minutes and action items via myUMBC. 

Please pass along the attached flyer and information about this exciting opportunity for students to speak to conservationists at the WAM.

Tour the Conservation Lab and speak with conservation professionals. Times to be coordinated after receipt of email expressing interest. Capacity is limited to 10 participants in each session.

Description: Interested in a career that combines science and art? Join us for a guided tour given by conservators and scientists in the Department of Conservation, Collection and Technical Studies of the Walters Art Museum. During this visit, you will learn about the work being done to preserve the Walters’ collection and will visit three laboratory spaces in the Conservation Lab.

All students need to do to sign up is to email collegeinitiatives@thewalters.org