If you, like Thomas Jefferson, cannot live without books, the National Sporting Library & Museum's Book Fair this weekend will be an enormous pleasure. You will meet authors, peruse the fabulous collection and have an opportunity to purchase splendid sporting books that are duplicates of volumes in the National Sporting Library.

Organized by NSLM Librarian Lisa Campbell, the Book Fair will take place Saturday, May 28th, during the 52nd Annual Hunt Country Stable Tour.

"We have invited a wonderful group of authors who will speak about their new books and sign copies for visitors," explained Lisa. "And a range of duplicate books from our extensive collections will be offered for sale.

"The Book Fair will open at 10 a.m., so for individuals who love equestriana, please plan to arrive early! The books for sale will be real treasures, and I am certain they will be purchased quickly."

Six authors will discuss their books during the Fair:

Tim Rice, author of "Broke in a Tangle: Legends and Losers, A Lifetime of Turf Memories," will speak at 11 a.m.

Bill Woods, author of "Dressage Unscrambled," is scheduled to speak at 12 noon.

Rita Mae Brown, author of "Hounded to Death," will speak at 1 p.m.

Norman Fine, who wrote "Foxhunting Adventures: Chasing the Story," will speak at 2 p.m.

And, Kate Chenery Tweedy and Leeanne Ladin who wrote "Secretariat's Meadow: The Land, the Family and the Legend," will be the final speakers at 3 p.m.

Booksellers will be on hand, and the author's books will be available for purchase. This is the first National Sporting Library and Museum Book Fair. Librarian Campbell modeled it after the Fairfax County Library Foundation Book Fair at George Mason University which is a noted success and highly appreciated by the community.

Lisa Campbell grew up in Annapolis and began her career with AT&T, always loved horses and was a very successful dressage rider.

"I loved eventing and in the late 1970's moved to Virginia. "In 1991, I started writing for The Chronicle of the Horse and when Peter Winants arrived to become Director of the National Sporting Library, he needed an assistant, and I was fortunate enough to be offered the Assistant Librarian position."

When Lisa's father fell ill, she left the NSL to care for him.

Laura Rose, who was the NSL Librarian, resigned in 1999, and Lisa was asked to return as Assistant Librarian. In 2001, she was promoted to Director of Publications when Robert Webber was the Librarian. She held that position until 2004, when Webber resigned and Lisa was offered the position.

"I love books," she said smiling. "Books are incredibly accessible, whether they are new or a volume on dueling printed in 1523. Our collections here are extensive and important. I know the collection intimately, and love to help visitors find and research a particular area of the sporting life."

"Nothing could make me happier than to welcome a large group of visitors to the Book Fair," said the charming and attractive young woman.

"Book sales at The Book Fair will help us fund the library's acquisition fund, but no tickets are required for the event."

"We want to welcome the community, bibliophiles from our area and individuals who have come for the Hunt Country Stable Tour," she continued. There is absolutely no fee to come to The Fair!

Many rare books as early as 1743 will be exhibited at The Book Fair, from the rare book room, art from the permanent collection, and antique mechanical toys from the Athelstan and Kathleen Spilhaus Collection in "Horses at Work and Play."

In addition to her responsibilities at the National Sporting Library, and her involvement in NSL exhibits of books and ephemera, Lisa is also an author. Her book, "Jumps, Etc," is an invaluable aide to equestrians who wish to know how to build jumps.

"When I arrived in Hunt Country, I could not find a book about how to build jumps," she remembered. "I wanted jumps at home to train my horses, but I could find absolutely no instructive material.

"So, every time I drove past a pasture with jumps, I would stop, walk over and measure everything, noting materials and workmanship. That was the basis of research for my book, which is still in print."

For more information about the National Sporting Library's Book Fair, please consult their website, www.nsl.org.