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Keep Toronto Reading 2009: 47 Special Literary Events
Annual Month Long Festival Will Feature 60 Authors
TORONTO (Thursday, March 26, 2009) – Toronto Public Library officially kicked off Keep Toronto Reading 2009 this morning at a news conference at Toronto Reference Library.
Mayor David Miller proclaimed April 2009 as Keep Toronto Reading month and launched the library’s second community-wide reading initiative, Keep Toronto Reading One Book. The One Book for 2009 is Loyalty Management by Glen Downie.
“For the fourth year, Toronto Public Library is inviting us all to take part in its annual Keep Toronto Reading festival,” said Mayor David Miller. “With its 99 branches and its exciting array of programs, the library is the perfect place to celebrate the wonderful literary and cultural life of this city”.
“The first thing to notice about Keep Toronto Reading 2009 is that we’ve moved to April,” added Chief Librarian Jane Pyper. “After three Februaries, we thought the time had come to think spring, and so we’re offering up all these terrific free events as a tonic for the city. We’re also very pleased to have a collection of poetry as our One Book selection, as April is also National Poetry Month.”
Keep Toronto Reading is the library's month-long celebration of the joy of reading, featuring literary and cultural events throughout the city.
Highlights include:
Lit City: Celebrate Toronto’s 175th birthday with Toronto stories from some of the city’s best writers, including Katherine Govier, Ray Robertson and Antanas Sileila. At our kick off event, hear actor Cynthia Dale, CBC Radio’s Jill Dempsey and writer Shyam Selvadurai read from their favourite Toronto books.
Eastern Edge: Take another look at Scarborough through entertaining readings and performances.
Literary Buzz: Join writers for guided wine tastings led by international wine journalist Edward Finstein
o Lit Lunches: Fun discussions with a tantalizing line-up of writers, including Joy Fielding, Bonnie Stern and Marjorie Harris. Bring your own lunch or buy one for just $5.
Keep Toronto Reading One Book: Everybody’s reading Glen Downie’s Loyalty Management. Pick up a Reader’s Guide at your library branch and join in. One Book kick off event features live Chilean music.
Diaspora Dialogues: Meet emerging Toronto writers, as well as established names like Nino Ricci, Anthony De Sa and Priscilla Uppal.
Keep Toronto Reading for Kids: Highlights include Patty Sullivan, host of Kids’ CBC, Dennis Lee reading from The Cat and the Wizard at Casa Loma and a mini-production of Anne of Green Gables.
Toronto Public Library is the world's busiest urban public library system. Every year, more than 16 million people visit our 99 branches and borrow almost 30 million item. To learn more about Toronto Public Library, visit our website at www.torontopubliclibrary.ca or call Answerline at 416-393-7131.
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Media Contact:
Edward Karek, Communications Officer, 416-397-5925
media@torontopubliclibrary.ca