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News

Come And Join The Reading Adventure!

Borough of Poole Libraries will be giving away free books to encourage people across the area to join them in Britain’s largest ever mass-reading project.

Tens of thousands of people across the South West, the North West, Liverpool, Hull and Glasgow will be reading copies of the chosen book.
 
The title this year is ‘Small Island’ by Andrea Levy which deals with the experiences of Caribbean immigrants in post-war Britain. This links with the 200th anniversary of the passing of the Slave Trade Abolition Bill and addresses the themes of identity, racial awareness and multiculturalism.

The launch will take place on 11 January at Poole Central Library  (11 am) and Creekmoor Library (2.15 pm) with readings of book extracts and poetry from Dorset poet, Louisa Parker.

Free copies of the book will be available on the launch day (and when these have gone there will be lots of copies to borrow).

‘Small Island Read 2007’ builds on the success of the 2006 South West Great Reading Adventure which saw over 50,000 people join in reading ‘Around the World in Eighty Days’.

The project is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Arts Council England with funds enabling libraries across the region to provide specially printed copies of the book to the public. In addition, readers will be able to obtain a fully illustrated guide providing information on the book and its author plus background on the themes of slavery and migration.

Supporting books for younger readers are ‘Amazing Grace’ by Mary Hoffman and Benjamin Zephaniah’s  ‘Refugee Boy’. A short story competition for children will be launched during the project.

The Borough of Poole is also running a ‘Small Island Read’ prize quiz. Quiz forms can be downloaded at www.boroughofpoole.com/libraries and are available at all Borough of Poole libraries.

Jenny Oliver, Reading and Learning Librarian, Culture and Community Services, Borough of Poole, Tel no: 01202 262434