Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival

10/12/2026

Ready to join us March 3-5 in Hattiesburg? Registration for the festival is now open, along with breakout session proposals.

If you're ready to request that PTO time, go ahead and register to lock in an early bird rate!

Got an idea to share? We'd love to hear your breakout session proposal. Programming ideas, student engagement strategies, or community outreach--we want to see it all!

https://www.usm.edu/childrens-book-festival/

Questions about anything? Email [email protected]!

10/09/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19mfiJa3bE/

Enter to win a stack of USM SLIS’s spooky books!
Post a picture in the comments showing what you’re doing to celebrate the Fall or Halloween at your library!
Remember: we will never ask for anything beyond a mailing address!
The drawing will take place at noon on October 19th!

08/27/2026

We're ready for the 2027 Kaigler Children's Book Festival, and it'll be here before we know it!
Submit a breakout session now via the link below, or visit our website to apply to be an Ambassador at the festival. Looking to make plans early? You can register now, too!

https://usmforms.formstack.com/forms/2027kaiglerworkshopproposal

08/14/2026

Calling all graduate students! We're looking for our 2027 Ambassadors!

Ambassadors help the festival by moderating panels, helping organize attendees, and obtaining data, but they also get a behind-the-scenes look at the festival. Ambassadors get to attend all events at the festival, receive free lodging and meals during their stay, and get the experience of a lifetime!

If you're interested in applying, visit the link below for more information or email [email protected]

https://www.usm.edu/childrens-book-festival/ambassadors-program.php

08/12/2026

It's tiiiiime!

Grab your best ideas and submit your workshop proposals for the 2027 Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival!

Submit your proposals here: https://usmforms.formstack.com/forms/2027kaiglerworkshopproposal

And email [email protected] with any questions you might have!

07/30/2026

We're celebrating several big announcements!

First, workshop proposals for the 2027 Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival are open! We want to hear all of your research and ideas in 2027. Link in the comments (and on our website)!

Second, if you're looking to plan your attendance early (and get those PTO requests and POs in), registration is available via our online portal.

To celebrate all this big news, we've got some treats for you! Share this post and comment with your favorite children's author or illustrator and be entered into a drawing. Winner announced Friday, August 7!

06/13/2026

We’re saddened to hear of the passing of beloved children’s literature author and 2012 Southern Miss Medallion winner Jane Yolen. The author or editor of over 450 books, Yolen’s legacy will leave a lasting imprint on the field. We’re thankful for all the wonderful stories she’s shared with us over the years.

You can read more about her in Locus Mag here: https://locusmag.com/2026/06/jane-yolen-1939-2026/

04/27/2026

04/17/2026

If you attended the 2026 Kaigler Children's Book Festival and patiently waited for pieces from Molly Idle's collaborative art project, we have the goods!

If you would like a piece-- or if you bought one of Molly's books and would like a book plate!-- please send a self- addressed, stamped envelope to

USM School of Library & Information
118 College Dr. #5146
Hattiesburg, MS 39406

If you have any questions, please email [email protected]

03/27/2026

Come check out Karl's books at the Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival! From his website: "Karl is a U.S. Marine veteran and retiree inspired by his rescued and adopted black Labrador Retriever, Gunner. ... Karl wrote the Gunner Goes series while thinking of the kind of books he enjoyed reading to his kids and with the humor of the child and parent in mind."