World Book Day 2005
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World Book Day, held this year on Thursday 3 March, is the biggest celebration of books and reading in the UK and Ireland, and as the name would suggest, is a worldwide celebration. Last year it was marked in over 30 countries around the globe and this year – its eighth year - is set to be equally successful.
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World Book Day always aims to grow and build upon the successes of previous years, and this year is no exception. 2005 will see the introduction of an additional element for both children and adults – Spread the Word.
The main aim of World Book Day is to encourage children to explore the pleasures of books and reading, by providing them with the opportunity of having a book of their own. A Schools’ Pack has recently been mailed to schools to help support this aim. As well as being full of ideas and activities, the pack includes display material and more information about how to get involved in World Book Day.
Spread the Word is a new campaign to encourage people to recommend a favourite book to friends and family. Millions of free postcards will be available throughout the country for people to send with a personal book recommendation, making it an easy way for people to participate in World Book Day. Cards will be available in libraries, bookshops, bars, cafes, health clubs and heritage sites, as well as in magazines and newspapers.
Go to the World Book Day website for more information about the Spread the Word campaign, to send an e-card or to order quantities of the postcards for schools and colleges.
Readathon is an ideal activity to take part in for World Book Day. Founded in 1984, its aims are to encourage children to read more books and to promote the belief that the stimulus books give to children’s imagination is far too important to lose.
In the 21 years that it has been running, the Readathon campaign has raised well over £17 million for charity. It is Britain’s biggest sponsored literary event and has helped encourage millions of children to read recreationally. The campaign is dedicated to helping very sick children through Sargent Cancer Care for Children and The Roald Dahl Foundation.
| Children involved in the Readathon undertake to read books or do other literacy-based activities in return for pledges of money from family and friends. As well as helping sick children and showing participants the values of helping those who are not as well as themselves, Readathon really does work as a literacy initiative, exciting whole schools about books and reading. |
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Activities will be taking place all over the country - and worldwide - on 3 March. The Scottish Poetry Library is adding a page of readers' recommendations to their website to mark World Book Day and will also be giving away World Book Day postcards, while stocks last. Visit the library at 5 Crichton's Close to pick up some postcards and to add your own suggestions to the growing pile of recommendation cards. Visit the Scottish Poetry Library website to see some of the suggestions that have been received so far.
The Scottish Book Trust has been working with The List and Orange to publish 100 Best Scottish Books Of All Time - which is to be published on World Book Day. The publication features the best of Scottish writing, both past and present, and includes a top 100 list as well as a list of a second hundred and sections on poets, playwrights and short story writers. This is the largest campaign of its kind in Scotland, and every library and book store in Scotland will be participating - bookstores will be giving money off the titles themselves. There will be a chance for the Scottish public to vote for their favourite book of all time - and the title voted for need not be from this list. The list will encourage people to read, talk about and vote for Scottish Books, and this is seen as an opportunity for people to rediscover the glory of Scottish Literature. The campaign is back by BBC Radio Scotland and the guide is part-funded by the Scottish Arts Council.
For more information about events happening throughout the country for World Book Day, please visit the World Book Day website. |