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ALTON - The Hayner Public Library District will host their fourth annual Local Author Book Fair in December, and they’re looking for writers.
On Dec. 6, 2025, at Alton Square Mall, community members can browse books by local authors and get to know the writing community in the Riverbend. Writers are encouraged to reach out to Hayner Library for more information about securing a booth at the festival. Executive Director Mary Cordes warns that the 25 available booths will go quickly.
“The big one is our Local Author Book Fair,” Cordes said. “This is our fourth year of having this. They fill up fast. We have spots for 25 local authors, and I already have people who have emailed and called me over the weekend.”
The fair will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 6 in the courtyard between the Alton Square Mall library and JCPenney at the mall. Cordes emphasized that they only have space for 25 authors, but they will have a waitlist available.
The library provides a table, chairs and tablecloth. Authors are encouraged to bring copies of their books and to decorate their table however they’d like.
Cordes noted that the fair is a great chance to support and engage with local authors. The genres vary widely. Last year, they welcomed an author in grade school and a woman who wrote a “beautiful” book about her father’s experience in World War II, to name a few.
“People can come out, they can meet the local authors, they can buy their books, they can have them autographed,” Cordes said. “It’s a really great way to shop for Christmas if you’re a reader, to find a new author, and to support your local writers.”
Most of the authors will also donate a copy of their book to the library. Cordes said the library has an entire shelf dedicated to local authors, so you can support these writers year-round.
For more information about the Local Author Book Fair, including how to sign up as one of the 25 featured writers, you can contact Cordes at 618-433-2877 or by emailing mary.cordes@haynerlibrary.org.
Visit the official Hayner Public Library District website at HaynerLibrary.org to learn more about the library, their resources and their upcoming events.
