Category Archives: Edible Book Festival

Edible Book Festival

4th Annual Edible Book Festival (2009)

The Edible Book Festival was held in the Gothic Reading Room this year on April 1, 2009. A silent auction was held to raise money for the Helene Baumann Memorial Fund. Read more from the Duke Office of News and Communications. Photos from the event are on the Duke University Libraries Flickr page.

We raised $628 for the DUL Memorial Fund (Helene Baumann Fund) through the silent auction and additional donations. A big thank you to everyone for attending and for making some great entries, and thanks to Mark Zupan for the images. We look forward to seeing you next year!

Winners by Popular Vote

Punniest Entry: War and Peas (Amy Turner)

Best Book Structure: Vellum Bindings (Meg Brown)

Most Edible: Night (Judy Bailey)

Least Edible: Brief History of Thyme (Bridget Booher)

Favorite Overall: Very Hungry Caterpillar (Sarah Hodkinson)

Best Student Entry: Little Enginie That Could (Bernadette O’Reilly and Hannah Reynolds)

Most Votes Across All Categories: Little Engine That Could (Bernadette O’Reilly and Hannah Reynolds)

Edible Book Festival

3rd Annual Edible Book Festival (2008)

Our third annual Edible Book Festival raised $469 for the Duke University Libraries Memorial Fund. Images of the entries can be found on Flickr. Unfortunately two entries did not get their photos taken, both were entered by Emily Schmidt and titled “The Unbearable Lightness of Bean” and “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Sucrets.” The titles alone are amusing, apologies to Emily for the oversight.

Edible Book Festival, What Others Say About us

Stop the Presses! EBF5 receives rave reviews

I always wanted to say that, even back when I worked for the local newspaper as a photojournalist. Now I just yell it randomly, like today when I bring you the links to the press we received for our EBF5 (2010 edition).


The Office of Communication Services produced a short video clip featuring interviews with library staff members who created edible books, including your humble blogger.

We were highlighted in Duke Today.

The Independent Weekly also highlighted us on Blink. Thanks Indy Week, we love you!

The Chronicle, our student newspaper, ran a photo of the event but didn’t put it on their website. Too bad! our edible books are so visual. If you would like to see it, we do have it pinned to our bulletin board. How very paper-y of us.

We were picked up in the blogosphere, too. BadgerBlog announced the event for us, thanks Badger! We were Tweeted by the Gothic Bookshop and many individuals in the library and outside of the library. Thanks for spreading the word, and I invite you to join us next year in person!

Phyllis Hoffman Celebrate Spring Magazine interviewed us for their spring 2010 edition. Again, you can’t link to any content, but trust me, it’s in there. Our portion is small, just a couple paragraphs, and they present their own ideas for real edible food based on book titles.

*Image: “In Defense of Food” by Amy Turner.

Edible Book Festival

Edible Book Festival Coming Soon


We are less than two weeks away from the fifth annual Edible Book Festival. I hope everyone has their ideas ready and their chefs hats on. If you need inspiration, check out our past event photos or go to the International Edible Book Festival website.

EBF V will take place on April 1, 2010, from 2-3:30 p.m. in the Gothic Reading Room. Everyone is welcome to participate. There are two rules:

The book must be made out of food products.

All edible books must be “bookish” through the integration of text, literary inspiration or, quite simply, the form.

Bring your submissions to the Gothic Reading Room by 1:30 so we can get you checked in. Doors open at 2pm, there will be a silent auction to benefit the Library Memorial Fund, and voting for your favorite submissions in several categories.

See you there!

Image: Leaves of Grass by Judy Bailey

Edible Book Festival

The Superbowl of Books: EBF V


This weekend many of us will gather together with friends and family members to celebrate the great eating tradition that is Superbowl XLIV. If you find yourself in need of something to think about between watching the commercials, I recommend contemplating your entry to that other great eating tradition, the Edible Book Festival.

EBF V will take place on April 1, 2010, from 2-3:30 p.m. in the Gothic Reading Room. Everyone is welcome to participate. There are two rules:

The book must be made out of food products.

All edible books must be “bookish” through the integration of text, literary inspiration or, quite simply, the form.

Other than that the sky is the limit and the definition of “edible” is up to you. There is plenty of inspiration at the International Edible Book Festival website and our very own EBF I-IV images. We especially encourage students of all ages and grade levels to make something for the festival.

Bring your entries to the Gothic Reading Room by 1:45pm on the day of the festival so you have time to fill out the entry form. If you have questions, feel free to contact us. See you on April 1st!

“Roots” by Jamie Bradway [text and covers made with root vegetables, tied with licorice]