The mission of the Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival is to recognize excellence in the field of children’s literature and to provide librarians, teachers, researchers and community members the opportunity to learn about and appreciate children’s literature through presentations, workshops, and personal interactions with people of significance in the field.   In accordance with this mission, the Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival at the University of Southern Mississippi School of Library and Information Science is inviting submissions for papers or presentations to be presented at the 44th annual festival to be held April 6-8, 2011 on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.

We invite abstracts (of approximately 500 words) for 45-60 minute sessions that are of professional interest to our attendees. Each year the School of Library and Information Science hosts the three-day Festival which includes the most notable names in children’s literature.  The 2011 Southern Miss Medallion recipient is T.A. Barron. General session presenters include Derek Anderson, Chris Barton, Phil Bildner, Carmen Agra Deedy, David Diaz and Joyce Carol Thomas. More speakers will be announced soon.  For more information on the festival, please visit www.usm.edu/bookfest. 

Proposals must be sent electronically to Karen Rowell at [log in to unmask]" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">[log in to unmask] on or before November 11, 2010. Receipt of proposals will be confirmed via email within a few days of submission. Authors of accepted proposals will receive notification via email on or before December 11, 2010, and will receive complimentary registration to the festival.