Escape Explore Discover with Library Week 2009

Media release: Monday 11 August, 2009

Escape Explore Discover with Library Week 2009

Library Week 2009 was officially launched in Wellington last night with the presentation of the LIANZA Children’s Book Awards at Caffe L’affare.

Library Week has been celebrated in New Zealand for over 35 year and is a wonderful chance to promote the many benefits and opportunities libraries offer our communities.
Public, school, tertiary and special libraries are celebrating the Escape, Explore, Discover - Ki te whai ao, ki te ao mārama theme with various events and online competitions.

On Wednesday 12 August at 10.30am libraries across the country will be taking part in New Zealand’s Biggest Storytime; a simultaneous reading of Itiiti’s Gift written by Melanie Drewery and illustrated by Fifi Colston. Libraries will be inviting special guests to read at this every popular event. Celebrity readers include Fifi Colston, reading at Wellington City Libraries and Te Radar at Te Atatu Peninsula Library in Waitakere.

For Living Heritage Day on Thursday 13 August, public and school libraries will team up to celebrate Living Heritage; an online bilingual initiative that enables our young people to be storytellers in their own language by creating websites which preserve New Zealand history and culture in a digital form for future generations.

Friday 14 August will see libraries celebrating Love Your Library Day with special romance themed displays, activities and chocolate give-aways. To celebrate the day both Christchurch City Libraries and Wellington City Libraries are running Blind Date a Book which aims to introduce readers to new authors and genres.

The Library Week Interactive Story Competition is open to year 6, 7 and 8 students and runs until Friday 14 August. New Zealand author Fleur Beale has opened the story and children will contribute creative writing each day to build an ongoing story.

Dylan Horrocks, well known comic illustrator has started a graphic novel story which is being added to weekly by budding illustrators from across the country. Weekly winners are chosen from two age categories; 13 – 18yrs and 19yrs+ and the competition closes on Sunday 16th August.

The Love Your Library Video Competition is open to New Zealanders of all ages who want to make a short video about their local library for the public vote.

LIANZA President Barbara Garriock says “the Library Week theme sends the message that libraries enable you to escape into a world of discovery and exploration that will bring about an enriching and positive experience”.

“It is pleasing to see the number of people getting involved this year via the Love Your Library micro blog and the various competitions available on the Library Week website” Ms Garriock said. “Library Week is a great opportunity to promote the fact that libraries offer free access to the same wide range of technology people can access from home or work”.

Library Week is managed by LIANZA and is supported by Te Rōpū Whakahau, Creative New Zealand, APLM, UNESCO, Caffe L’affare and the National Library of New Zealand.

More information about Library Week can be found at: www.libraryweek.org.nz

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