Mayor David Miller to announce winner of the 2009 Toronto Book Awards

Mayor David Miller to announce winner of the 2009 Toronto Book Awards

Mayor David Miller will announce the winner of the 2009 Toronto Book Awards. The Mayor will be joined by Jane Pyper, the Toronto Public Library’s City Librarian at the Appel Salon, the Toronto Reference Library’s new event venue. CBC Radio’s Matt Galloway will host the free, public reception.

Date:  Thursday, October 15, 2009
Time:  6 p.m. (entertainment and reception) 7 p.m. (welcome remarks and awards presentation)
Location: Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge Street

The finalists for the 2009 Toronto Book Awards are: Austin Clarke for his novel, More (Thomas Allen Publishers); Anthony De Sa, for his story collection, Barnacle Love (Doubleday Canada); Maggie Helwig, for her novel, Girls Fall Down (Coach House Books); Mark Osbaldeston, for his history book, Unbuilt Toronto (Dundurn Press); and Charles Wilkins, for his non-fiction book, In the Land of Long Fingernails (Viking Canada).

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Toronto Book Awards, which also coincides with the City’s 175th anniversary celebrations. Established by Toronto City Council in 1974, the Toronto Book Awards honour authors of books of literary or artistic merit that are evocative of Toronto. The annual awards offer $15,000 in prize money. Each finalist will receive $1,000 and the winning author receives the remaining prize money. For more information, visit www.toronto.ca/book_awards.
 
Toronto Public Library is the world’s busiest urban public library system. Every year, more than 16 million people visit the Library’s 99 branches and borrow more than 30 million items. To learn more about Toronto Public Library, visit www.torontopubliclibrary.ca or call Answerline at 416-393-7131.

Toronto is Canada's largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. It is the economic engine of Canada and one of the greenest and most creative cities in North America. Toronto has won numerous awards for quality, innovation and efficiency in delivering public services. 2009 marks the 175th anniversary of Toronto's incorporation as a city. Toronto's government is dedicated to prosperity, opportunity and liveability for all its residents. 
 
- 30 -

Media contacts:
Bev Kurmey, Acting Senior Protocol Officer, City Clerk’s Office, 416-392-4674 (office), 416-892-8646 (cell), bkurmey@toronto.ca
Michaela Cornell, Toronto Book Awards Publicist, 647-274-6112, mcornell@rogers.com
Edward Karek, Communications Officer, Toronto Public Library, 416-397-5925, media@torontopubliclibrary.ca