Authors at the Library

Authors at the Library is running throughout 2026, with more than 30 authors visiting Columbus Metropolitan Library locations across the city. It's a series of talks and literary experiences, and instead of keeping everything at the Main Library, the library is spreading the visits across the system. You'll find them at the Main Library at 96 S. Grant Ave. and at branches including Whetstone, Reynoldsburg, Barnett, Hilltop, New Albany, Hilliard, Gahanna, Dublin, Marion-Franklin, Driving Park and Martin Luther King.

The lineup is long and covers a lot of ground. You'll see Rachel Hawkins, Thrity Umrigar in conversation with Jessica Strawsar, Jason Reynolds, Pam Muñoz Ryan, Candacy Taylor, Terah Shelton Harris, Jasmine Warga, Misako Rocks!, Andrew Welsh-Huggins, Beth Macy with Brian Alexander, Bonnie Quinn, Desiree Cooper, Kelly Anderson, Alexandra Ammon Parthun, Will Hillenbrand, Nina Willner, Vanessa Miller, Phill Branch, Casey Michel, Alexis Nikole Nelson, Susan Beckham Zurenda, Grace Lin, Katherine Reay, V.E. Schwab, Kristy Boyce, Anna North, Tara Pringle Jefferson, Meg Anderson and Thao Thai. The format pairs bestselling names with up-and-coming writers across a wide variety of genres, and new authors are added throughout the year.

This grew out of the library's previous author series, which usually hosted up to six writers and kept them mostly at the Main Library. CEO Lauren Hagan says customers value the chance to connect with authors, and the library is committed to bringing more bestselling and beloved writers into neighborhoods across the system. Since 1873, the Columbus Metropolitan Library has been open to all, serving nearly one million people in Franklin County through its Main Library and 22 branches. Battelle's gift to the Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation helps make possible additional author talks for children and teens, and the series is supported by Ohio Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

All the talks are free and open to the public, though registration is required to reserve your seat. You can find the full schedule and sign up at columbuslibrary.org.