On Sunday, March 3 over 250 guests gathered after-hours at the Central Library for a glamorous gala featuring a lively meet-the-authors reception, an epicurean meal seated with authors and celebrity hosts. Brian Watt, KQED’s award-winning Morning News Radio anchor, led the festive program.

Among the 21 honored authors was an Emmy-winning stand-up comedian, a Jeopardy! champion and pioneer, a beloved children’s author, a hip-hop historian, and writers who help us understand science, cooking, activism, and the big world around us. KQED radio news anchor Brian Watt emceed.

Photos by Christopher Williams Photography