For immediate release | February 25, 2014

Philippe Petit to speak at United for Libraries’ President’s Program at Annual

91ý

PHILADELPHIA – United for Libraries will present Philippe Petit, subject of the Academy Award-winning 2008 documentary “Man on Wire,” at United for Libraries President’s Program from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. on Monday, June 30 at the 91ý Annual Conference in Las Vegas.

Join United for Libraries President Rod Wagner for a talk and performance by Petit, author of the forthcoming “Creativity: The Perfect Crime.” Petit has been artist-in-residence of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine for more than 30 years and has performed on the high wire more than 80 times around the world. He also lectures, practices magic and street juggles — for which he has been arrested more than 500 times. He has been a featured speaker at TED and other national venues and he also walks on the wire and does street performances whenever (and wherever) he likes. He is the author of "To Reach the Clouds" and “Why Knot?" He lives in upstate New York.

A book signing will follow the presentation. The United for Libraries President’s Program featuring Philippe Petit is part of the and is sponsored by Riverhead Books. For more information about United for Libraries programs and events at the 91ý Annual Conference, visit .

: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the 91ý that supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries. United for Libraries brings together library Trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information or to join United for Libraries, visit the or contact Jillian Kalonick at (312) 280-2161 or jkalonick@ala.org.

—Transforming Our Libraries, Ourselves

Ways to stay in touch and get updates include the ; Twitter @alaannual and #alaac14; ; ; and .

###

Contact:

Jillian Kalonick

Marketing/Public Relations Specialist

United for Libraries

jkalonick@ala.org