For 10 years, the Unbound Book Festival has brought together book lovers across the U.S. The annual literature celebration features everything from a keynote speaker to panels with acclaimed authors to a writing workshop.
Putting together a multitude of community events and bringing in writers from across the country requires a dedicated team of volunteers. While their work typically goes unnoticed due to the festival’s smooth scheduling, the board labors year-round to see such success.
Over the course of four days, volunteers perform a variety of different duties, including being stationed at the venues, offering support or picking up authors from the St. Louis airport. Readers in the community and students in the University of Missouri Honors College can sign up to assist wherever they’re needed.
“They’re really the face of the festival,” volunteer coordinator Lauren Miers said. “They are, you know, giving that Midwestern hospitality, telling people about the festival, telling them what they’re reading.”
Miers began volunteering with Unbound during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, she heads the volunteer committee, which is made up of all the venue leads. Her responsibilities are hands-on, which include scheduling all of the volunteers, preparing orientation and putting out fires, like stepping in if any problems arise.
While Unbound only spans a weekend, Miers and the board communicate all year to plan the event.
Sadie Thibodeaux, Unbound’s graphic designer of four years, works alongside Miers on the board. This year, Thibodeaux was excited to collaborate with local artist Adrienne Luther to create new posters, a program and a sticker.
Although this will be her last time serving on the board, Thibodeaux has greatly enjoyed dedicating years of work to the festival with her fellow committee members.
“I just really adore the people that I work with,” she said. “The people that have been on the board have been just such a joy to work with, and so I’ll miss that, but I’ll still be around.”
Through Thibodeaux’s efforts to increase Unbound’s marketing presence, along with Miers’ devotion to increasing volunteer organization, Unbound’s prosperity and the spread of literature will hopefully be ensured for years to come.
“(Unbound) is open to everybody and we want everybody to come,” Thibodeaux said. “We try to make it as inclusive and accessible as we can.”
