The East Texas Book Fest is pleased to announce that Smith County Sheriff J.B. Smith and Nancy Crawford, executive director of the Tyler Literacy Council, are honorary co-chairs for this event. The Book Fest takes place on September 25, from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., at the Ornelas Activity Center.

Organizers of the East Texas Book Fest find these two community leaders to be a great and complimentary match for this first time East Texas festival celebrating books, authors, reading, and libraries.

Sheriff Smith, in addition to being an award winning law enforcement officer, is also a popular speaker, known far and wide for his depth of knowledge and his wit. He is also a published author. His new book The Christmas Day Murders is on the shelves now. On September 25, he will be sharing some of his priceless anecdotes and telling something about his new book as well.

Ms. Crawford is one of the top champions of reading in this region. She’ll bring her own kind of stories to the Book Fest - stories that demonstrate the power of reading and prove that it is never too late to learn to read. Some of her statistics about the need in Tyler/Smith County to teach adults to read may astound you, but the work she and her organization do will be even more impressive.

The East Texas Book Fest is free of charge to the public. Registration begins at 10:00 a.m. and speakers and discussions will continue through 4:00 p.m. Lunch will be available for a small donation. The Ornelas Activity Center is located at 3402 Old Omen Road in Tyler.

The UT Tyler Muntz Library and Smith County public libraries (organized as SALT—Smith County Area Libraries Together) are planning and presenting the event. The public libraries involved are Bullard Community Library, Lindale Library, Troup Municipal Library, Tyler Public Library, and Whitehouse Community Library.



Major funding for the East Texas Book Fest comes from the Friends of the Arts at UT Tyler and Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Other sponsors include Southside Bank, the Target Distribution Center, and the Friends groups of the Bullard Community Library, the Lindale Library, the Troup Municipal Library, the Tyler Public Library, and the Whitehouse Community Library.

For more information call 903 597-9111 and leave a message for East Texas Book Fest, or email etxbookfest@gmail.com.