Press release: Book Week Scotland plots reading map

Book Week Scotland kicks off today (Monday 15 November), marking the tenth anniversary of the country-wide celebration of reading and writing. Scottish Book Trust, the national charity that runs Book Week Scotland, has worked closely with partners to provide both online and in person events centred around this year's theme of 'celebration' including an interactive reading map to reveal the nation's reading habits.

Philippa Cochrane, Head of Reading Communities at Scottish Book Trust, said:

'It is so exciting to be celebrating the 10th Book Week Scotland. Over the last decade Book Week Scotland has grown to become a joyful, inclusive week in Scotland’s book calendar. Once again Book Week Scotland is delivered with fantastic partners – libraries, community organisations, charities, schools and many more – across the country and offers a riotous collection of events and activities. We hope everyone in Scotland feels welcomed to the party and celebrates Book Week Scotland’s 10th anniversary by reading, gifting, discussing and celebrating the books they love.'

The new Reading Map of Scotland, designed to capture and share what the nation is reading now, is live from Monday 15 November. Members of the public are encouraged to plot their location and current book of choice on the interactive map via Scottish Book Trust’s website.

Book Week Scotland will also launch #ILoveMyLibrary, a week-long social media campaign in support of libraries, encouraging the public to join in and share their memories of their favourite or local library. Top authors in Scotland will also take part, celebrating the library they most treasure. The memories and anecdotes will be displayed on a dedicated social wall on Scottish Book Trust’s website.

For music lovers, there's the opportunity to create a playlist poem using song titles. Poet Nadine Aisha Jassat and author Harry Josephine Giles have contributed their own #BookWeekScotlandPlaylistPoem, which can be viewed in Scottish Book Trust's online playlist poem library.

50,000 free copies of a new book, Celebration, which includes real life stories from people around the country, will be available from libraries and other community venues during Book Week Scotland. The book includes 22 stories selected by a panel, plus commissioned pieces from Courtney Stoddart, Elle McNicoll, Eòghan Stewart, Mòrag Law and Ross Sayers.

Event highlights of Book Week Scotland include:

• Award-winning author Denise Mina kicks off the celebrations at Glasgow Women's Library, where she filmed a new documentary: The Women Writers of Garnethill with tour guide Melody House. The film explores the contribution women writers have made to the area, and the city of Glasgow. It will premiere on YouTube on Monday 15 November at 12.30pm.
• On Monday evening, for those who wish to join Book Week Scotland from the comfort of their own homes, there will be a downloadable role-playing game written by visual artist Adrian Barber. A star-studded line-up will play through the game, featuring: Marvel comic writer Kieron Gillen; bestselling author Val McDermid; DC Comics writer Ram V; Marvel comic writer and bestselling novelist Marjorie Liu; and award-winning comic artist and author Hari Conner.
• On Wednesday 17 November at 12.30pm, Book Week Scotland will premiere a new documentary with former Makar Jackie Kay on her first novel, Trumpet. The film will offer exclusive insight to the inspiration and writing of the bestselling book.
• On Thursday 18 November at 11am, there will be an Authors Live event: a panel on Young Scottish Voices featuring Nadine Aisha Jassat, Chris McQueer and Cat Hepburn. They will showcase their writing and share how young people can use their own voices and experiences in writing and storytelling.
• On Thursday evening, the Damian Barr Literary Salon will team up with Book Week Scotland to bring an unmissable event starring Baggage author Alan Cumming in conversation with Damian Barr, and poetry performances from the ascendant talents of Lennie Pennie and Courtney Stoddart. The event will run online Thursday 18 November at 7pm and tickets are available to buy here.
• In the year of Scottish coastlines and waterways, Harry Josephine Giles, Evie Wyld and Raman Mundair will join Book Week Scotland for a Celebrating Island Literature panel, chaired by Pàdraig MacAoidh. The event will premiere on Saturday 20 November at 4pm on YouTube.

The full Book Week Scotland programme can be viewed on the Scottish Book Trust website.

British sign language and closed captions will be available for all the panel events.

Ends

Notes to Editors

Please direct all media requests to PR and Marketing Manager:

Keara.Donnachie@scottishbooktrust.com(this will open in a new window) or call 07956 773749.

Scottish Book Trust

Scottish Book Trust is a national charity that believes everyone living in Scotland should have equal access to books. Our work provides opportunities to improve life chances through books and the fundamental skills of reading and writing. Access to books and a love of books bring many important benefits from family bonding and advancing children’s learning, to unlocking creativity, helping employability and improving mental health & well-being. Scottish Book Trust aims to support all communities across Scotland, with particular focus on those who are vulnerable and under-represented.

Our programmes and outreach work include:

• Gifting books to every child in Scotland to ensure families of all backgrounds can share the joy of books at home, through Bookbug and Read Write Count
• Working with teachers to inspire children to develop a love of reading, creating innovative classroom activities, book awards and author events such as Authors Live with the BBC and our Scottish Friendly Children's Book Tour
• Supporting and nurturing Scotland's wide-ranging literary talent, both emerging and established through our training, awards and writing opportunities including New Writers Awards
• Creating events to share books and connect writers with communities, including Book Week Scotland
• Providing support to people living with dementia, and their carers, through Reading is Caring

In addition to the funding we receive from the Scottish Government and Creative Scotland, we need the constant support of trusts and foundations, corporate sponsors and individual donors.

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Book Week Scotland

Initiated by the Scottish Government and supported by £200,000 from the National Lottery through Creative Scotland Targeted Funding and over £24,000 from SLIC, Book Week Scotland 2021 will be delivered by Scottish Book Trust from 15 November – 21 November.

For more information about Book Week Scotland 2021 and how you can get involved, visit www.bookweekscotland.com(this will open in a new window) where you can find information about all the events taking place in your local area. Follow @Bookweekscot on Twitter, check out #bookweekscotland or like the Book Week Scotland Facebook page.

Creative Scotland

Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland on behalf of everyone who lives, works or visits here. We enable people and organisations to work in and experience the arts, screen and creative industries in Scotland by helping others to develop great ideas and bring them to life. We distribute funding provided by the Scottish Government and the National Lottery.

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The Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC)

The Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) is the independent advisory body to the Scottish Government on library and information services. It leads the implementation of Ambition and Opportunity: A strategy for public libraries in Scotland 2015–2020, develops innovative projects like Film Education in Libraries and provides support for libraries in the form of advocacy, consultation and research. It administers Scottish Government funding for public libraries (Public Library Improvement Fund), for school libraries (School Libraries Improvement Fund) and funding for the wider library and information sector (Innovation and Development Fund). It supports public libraries to participate in Book Week Scotland by providing Scottish Book Trust with event funding for every public library service and Further Education College Libraries.