Book Week Scotland opens on Nov. 23 and runs until Nov. 29. This week-long event will be celebrated in libraries, bookstores, schools and other learning communities all over Scotland, and it aims to promote the love for reading and books. For this year, Book Week Scotland draws emphasis to reading in the workplace, while the "#ThankBooks" project seek to inspire gratitude for how books, characters and authors have touched people's lives.
According to Book Trade, Book Week Scotland is an initiative by the Scottish Government and together with Readers Residence Programme, is supported by Creative Scotland. On the other hand, Book Week Scotland in libraries is funded by the Scottish Library and Information Council.
"We are delighted to be holding all these events, giving everyone in the community the opportunity to share their love of reading - we can't wait for everyone to grab a good book and join us," says Shona Donaldson, Adult Library & Information Services Section Leader of Leisure and Culture Dundee in an interview with The Courier.
According to Book Trade, over 450 events and activities will take place across Scotland. A new initiative called "Libraries Transformed" seeks to "challenge the public's perceptions of what libraries are." In a report by the BBC, 150,000 copies of a poetry and short story collection written by ordinary people entitled "Journeys" will be handed out to the public. Moreover, each Primary 1 child is to be gifted with a copy of the shortlisted pieces for the Scottish Children's Book Awards 2016. The young readers will choose their favorites and the winners will be declared in March 2016.
"Book Week Scotland is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate reading and literature. The pleasure of reading cannot be underestimated," commented Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop in an interview with the BBC. She added that reading "nourishes the soul" while being beneficial to mental health.
Writers Diana Gabaldon, Kate Mosse, Michel Faber, A.L. Kennedy, Val McDermid and Paula Hawkins of "The Girl on a Train" fame are expected to participate in the week-long celebration by visiting libraries around the country.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust encouraged businesses to promote reading in their companies and organizations as a means to enhance well-being. He seeked to make reading a part of the typical working day. Referring to reading as a "miracle cure" he told the BBC, "This year we are challenging Scots from all walks of life to try this miracle cure out for themselves - and to share their stories and results with us in a celebration of all the things books and reading can do."