Libraries abroad: Library Week 2010 launched in New Zealand

On 16th August Library Week 2010 officially launched in Wellington with the presentation of the LIANZA Children's Book Awards.

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 Ask Me! You might be surpised! He Taonga Te Patai! theme with various events and online competitions.

On Wednesday 18th August libraries across the country will be taking part in New Zealand's Biggest Storytime; a simultaneous reading of Mr Muggs the Library Cat written and illustrated by Dave Gunson. Libraries will be inviting special guests to read at this very popular event. Celebrity readers include Dave Gunson, reading at Birkenhead Library, Auckland.

For Living Heritage Day on Thursday 19 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.

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.

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