Book Week Scotland is taking place Monday 21 – Sunday 27 November 2016 and audiences across Scotland can take part in a national celebration of books and reading, with hundreds of free events and fun reading activities happening across the country – and there’s lots to enjoy in Edinburgh! Continue reading Ten unmissable Book Week events in Edinburgh
BOOK WEEK SCOTLAND
21 – 27 NOVEMBER
View the Book Week Scotland 2016 events programme here
Edinburgh events: edinburgh
#BookWeekScot
The full programme for Scotland’s fifth national celebration of books and reading has been announced. Working with a wide range of partners, Scottish Book Trust will deliver a feast of activities and events across the country during the 2016 edition of Book Week Scotland, all rooted in this year’s central theme of Discovery.
The key focus of the week will once again be a rich and varied events programme for all tastes and ages. Author events will abound with the UK’s best-loved writers and illustrators visiting libraries in every local authority, a programme funded by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), and appearances from such bookish heavyweights as Will Self, Lisa McInerney, Jenni Fagan, Jill Mansell, Simon Scarrow, Isabel Greenberg, Clare Mackintosh, Jodi Picoult, Alexander McCall Smith, whose event is programmed by East Lothian Libraries, and Liz Lochhead and Christopher Brookmyre, whose events are programmed by Cove and Kilgreggan Book Festival. Well-known personalities such as Alan Cumming, programmed by Literary Dundee, Nick Crane and Tony Robinson will also make special appearances in locations across the country.
As part of the theme of discovery, a brand new Book Generator quiz will be available on the Book Week Scotland website, enabling participants to uncover the perfect book match for themselves or the ideal present for a friend. Celebrities and authors such as Simon Mayo, A.L. Kennedy, Susan Calman and Lemn Sissay will provide additional inspiration by revealing which book they would give to everyone in Scotland for Christmas.
Booklovers far and wide will also be encouraged to take on a Reading Dare, with the joint aim of helping others to begin or continue their reading journey, and of challenging themselves to try something new. Those who need some inspiration can visit www.bookweekscotland.com to try out the Reading Dare Randomiser, which might suggest anything from gifting a book to a stranger, to proposing to the person you love with a line from your favourite poem.
To ensure that Book Week Scotland is accessible to as wide a range of people as possible, there will also be an outreach programme working with 20 local and national organisations. These partnerships will be tailored to specific audiences, and will include Dyslexia Scotland, Scottish Prison Service, 5 local authority Community and Learning Development teams and organisations like Fare Scotland, Sunny Govan FM, the Maker’s Bistro, Open Book and many others.
Participants will take part in a range of activities including finding out what friends and family like to read and gifting a specially chosen book, running book/film discussion nights, sharing and celebrating adult learners’ reading achievements, running a “write to recovery workshop” to encourage people to use creative writing to improve mental wellbeing and a “Reading, Writing and Self-Management” event to celebrate people using reading and writing to manage their long term health conditions.
For those who have an interest in discovering new writing talent, 150,000 free copies of a short story and poem collection written by the people of Scotland, Secrets and Confessions, will be handed out during the week via libraries, bookshops and other outlets.
School pupils across the country can also get into the Book Week Scotland spirit, with the three free picture books shortlisted for the Bookbug Picture Book Prize gifted to every Primary 1 pupil in Scotland in the Bookbug P1 Family Bag, and free bags of books, writing materials and counting games gifted to all Primary 2 and Primary 3 pupils. The bags, produced in partnership with Education Scotland and Scottish Government as part of Read, Write, Count, provide fun materials for parents and children to use to have fun learning at home.
Additionally, children across the country can tune in to watch award-winning children’s author and Ruby Redfort creator Lauren Child in a special free Authors Live webcast on 24 November at 11.00am. Several secondary schools will also enjoy a personal visit from hip hop artist Dave Hook of Stanley Odd fame, who will tour schools around the country during the week.
The week will conclude with the unveiling of the nation’s 10 favourite Scottish book to screen adaptations – will cult movie Trainspotting triumph, or will Robbie Coltrane’s Gruffalo snap up the top spot? Voting is open now at www.bookweekscotland.com – film, TV and book fans can choose their number one page to screen adaptation from an eclectic shortlist of 40.
For more information about Book Week Scotland 2016 and how you can get involved, visit www.bookweekscotland.com, where you can find information about all the events taking place in your local area, vote for your favourite book to screen adaptation and discover all sorts of ideas to help you celebrate and share whatever it is you love to read.
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Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “It’s a fantastically positive endorsement of Scotland’s thriving literary scene that Book Week Scotland is now entering its fifth year, bigger, better and bolder than ever before. Authors, booksellers, libraries, readers and partners too numerous to mention have really taken this national festival to heart and made it what it is – a joyful, democratic and inclusive celebration of reading’s unique capacity for empowerment, enrichment, education, solace, pleasure and growth. The 2016 programme is our best yet, with world-class authors and more programmed events than ever before.”
Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop, said: “Book Week Scotland has gone from strength to strength since it was established in 2012, gaining the support of some of Scotland’s leading authors, including Christopher Brookmyre and Liz Lochhead. The importance of reading for pleasure cannot be underestimated, it can be a force for good in so many ways, helping people realise their potential.
“The Scottish Government is committed to encouraging reading in all our communities and, over the last four years, thousands of people have enjoyed events and free books during Book Week Scotland. It’s now a firm fixture in the calendar for thousands, and I encourage people the length and breadth of the country to embrace Book Week Scotland 2016”.
Leonie Bell, Director, Arts and Engagement, Creative Scotland, said: “The fifth year of Book Week Scotland promises to be a real celebration of Scotland’s incredible literary culture, from new writers to old favourites. With an outreach programme ensuring that everyone across Scotland is able to enjoy the magic of reading and a plethora of book-related events, talks and dares to embark on, Scottish Book Trust is taking us on a reading adventure like no other.”
Pamela Tulloch, Chief Executive, Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) said: “The Scottish Library and Information Council is delighted to support Book Week Scotland in this its 5th year. Scottish Book Trust has pulled together a stellar programme which will tantalise and engage audiences across the country. Scotland has a proud literary heritage and it’s great to see today’s authors celebrated in such an imaginative and inspirational way.”
Author Jodi Picoult said: “I am delighted to be part of Scotland’s celebration of books and writing, and love coming north of the border to meet my fans. I can’t wait to be there!”
Initiated by the Scottish Government and supported, along with a Reading Champions programme in libraries, by £200,000 from Creative Scotland, Book Week Scotland will be delivered by Scottish Book Trust. Book Week Scotland in public libraries and Further Education College libraries is funded by the Scottish Library and Information Council
PICTURES: ROB McDOUGALL
Donate books for children at Broughton High School
Donating children’s books to be distributed in the run up to Christmas is the latest phase of the City of Edinburgh Council’s pioneering child poverty campaign.
The ‘Hungry for Books’ challenge is part of the council’s ‘1 in 5: Raising Awareness of Child Poverty in Edinburgh’ campaign currently running in five primaries and one secondary school.
The purpose of the initiative, taking place during Book Week Scotland, is to highlight links between child poverty and low literacy.
The public are being encouraged to donate high/good quality children’s books this week (up to Friday 27 November) which the pupils will then ensure go to food banks or other relevant organisations in time for Christmas.
Each school will be a hub for donation of books in different areas of the city – Broughton High School (north), Royal High Primary School (east), Sciennes Primary School (central), Gracemount Primary School (south), Dalry Primary School (west) and Hillwood Primary School (south west).
Councillor Paul Godzik, Education, Children and Families Convener, said: “The ‘Hungry for Books’ challenge is a positive way of trying to help more children living in poverty access the type of books other children enjoy. It is well-documented that children from poorer backgrounds lag behind at all stages of education so it’s important we do all we can to close the attainment gap.
“Donating books for children to read, both on their own and with their parents, is a positive way for the public to play their part in achieving this.
“The Council will continue the great work of our ‘1 in 5’ campaign to ensure every child in Edinburgh is given every opportunity to have the best possible start in life.”
Dalry Primary School Head Teacher, Grant Gillies, said: “The ‘1 in 5’ project has had a significant impact on the life of our school and the decisions we make because the children and families in our school community face real challenges. It is our job to equip them with the skills and aspirations to overcome these.
“More than that though, as a school we have social responsibility to ensure opportunities are for all and they are inclusive. That’s why pupils are very excited about being part of this Hungry for Books Challenge.
“Another good example of the impact of raising awareness within our school project is when we planned for our whole community outing at Christmas. We spoke about the way we charged for it in the past and this year we have a price structure that means bigger families pay less. It is these small things that make a difference.
“Small changes in our approaches make for big changes in our children’s lives.”
The ‘1 in 5’ project aims to raise awareness of the impact of child poverty and identify best practice and changes that can be introduced to make school more affordable for families on low incomes. The project involves working with children, staff and parents to challenge the stigma that affects children living in poverty.
Last week a poster competition was launched at Hillwood Primary School where pupils took part in creative art workshops led by artist Heather Lucchesi to design images which highlight some of the issues faced by children whose families live on or below the poverty line.
Winning images will be incorporated into a poster to be distributed to primary schools across the city along with guidelines for schools on how best to support families living on low incomes including actions to reduce the costs associated with school such as school uniform, trips and resources.
Councillors on the Education, Children and Families Committee heard last monththat just over 21% of children in Edinburgh live in poverty and this figure is forecast to increase significantly by 2020.
Every area of the city is affected with each Council ward having child poverty rates of over 10%. It’s estimated that the cost of delivering services to address the impact in the Capital is around £156m a year according to the which outlined various actions being taken by the Council to lessen the impact. Key areas identified include:
Other actions include increase breakfast club provision and further develop family engagement with a focus on strong home-school partnerships.
The report also highlights the importance of income maximisation to raising attainment. Research has shown that the level of household income plays a major role in attainment levels with more initiatives needed to increase wages, encourage take up of unclaimed benefits and other finance-related poverty costs.
Congratulations to Edinburgh’s first Reading Community
Edinburgh’s Craigmillar has been named as one of Scotland’s first ever Reading Communities. The new initiative, which was announced by Cabinet Secretary Fiona Hyslop at Craigmillar Library yesterday, also kicked off local celebrations for Book Week Scotland 2015.
Set up by the Scottish Book Trust, special “reading champions” will lead the country’s four Reading Communities and will be tasked with delivering innovative projects with local communities to encourage interest in books from all ages.
Claire Askew, a poet, writer and creative writing teacher, has been appointed as Craigmillar’s champion and will take up her post in March next year. Claire said: “I am so pleased to have been selected and I’m especially pleased that I’ll get to work alongside the brilliant team at Craigmillar Library – I can’t wait to get started!”
Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture and Sport Convener, said: “Craigmillar being named as one of the first Reading Communities in Scotland is excellent news – congratulations to our new champion. This is a fantastic initiative and I am sure that it will help us to encourage people to make books an even bigger part of their everyday lives.
“Reading is such a wonderful pastime and thanks to the Capital’s public libraries, you can take books home free or read them online, I would encourage everyone to visit their local library today and find out just how much they have to offer people of all ages.”
Edinburgh’s libraries will host an array of authors throughout Book Week, who will be giving free talks about their work – times and places are on the website. Writer Cathy Rentzenbrink and Douglas Lindsay will be reading copies of Journeys, which is being given out free during the Week, on a tram at Edinburgh Airport this Friday.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, added: “I am delighted to announce our Reading Communities for 2016. We had a really high standard of applicants but I am sure the four areas we have chosen will deliver some really creative and collaborative projects with their dedicated Reading Champions, to involve and inspire their local communities.
“Scottish Book Trust also looks forward to working with the Champions and the libraries to engage local people with our programmes including our annual story gathering campaign and Book Week Scotland.”
The four Reading Communities, each to be led and nurtured by a dedicated Reading Champion and supported financially and practically for nine months by Scottish Book Trust, are Craigmillar in Edinburgh, Dalmuir in West Dunbartonshire, Thurso in the Highlands and Shetland.
Book your tickets for events at www.edinburghreads.eventbrite.
Book Week Scotland 23 – 29 November
For details go to http://scottishbooktrust.com/reading/book-week-scotland/book-week-scotland-2015
Book Week Scotland 23 – 29 November
Book Week Scotland is a week-long celebration of books and reading that takes place every November. Book Week Scotland 2015 will take place from Monday 23 – Sunday 29 November 2015. Continue reading The write stuff: Edinburgh set to celebrate Book Week Scotland
Special journeys to feature in Book Week Scotland special edition
Three Edinburgh residents who wrote a short story about a special journey for a national writing competition have had their submissions chosen to be published in a book. Continue reading Edinburghers win national writing competition
Today marks the start of Book Week Scotland 2014, the national celebration of reading, and to mark the occasion Scottish Book Trust is to gift three free picture books to every Primary 1 child in Scotland.
The books, all by Scottish authors or illustrators, will be gifted in the Bookbug Primary 1 Family Pack and comprise the Bookbug shortlist for the Scottish Children’s Book Awards 2015.
The titles include: Robot Rumpus by Sean Taylor and Ross Collins, Princess Penelope and the Runaway Kitten by Alison Murray and Lost for Words by Natalie Russell.
Also included in the Bookbug bag will be a Scottish Children’s Book Awards pack full of games and activities, along with a voting slip to enable children to declare which of the three picture books is their favourite. The pack will also contain Ziggy and Maggie Start School, a children’s book about road safety created in partnership with Road Safety Scotland.
Marc Lambert, Director of Scottish Book Trust, said: “The beginning of school is the point at which books start to become associated with learning in a child’s mind. This pack has been designed to help teachers, librarians and parents show children how pleasurable books can be, at a crucial point in their learning journey.
“This association of books with enjoyment will in turn lead to a more positive educational experience for the child, helping them to get more out of school and hopefully inspiring them to seek out and devour more and more books.”
For more information about Book Week Scotland 2014 visit
where you can find information about all the events taking place in your local area, vote for your favourite character from a Scottish book, make a Reading Pledge and discover a whole host of resources and ideas to help you celebrate and share whatever it is you love to read.
Follow @Bookweekscot on Twitter, check out#bookweekscot or like the Book Week Scotland Facebook page.
Initiated by the Scottish Government and supported, along with a Readers in Residence programme in libraries, by £250,000 from Creative Scotland, Book Week Scotland will be delivered by Scottish Book Trust, the lead agency for the promotion of literature, reading and writing in Scotland. For more information on Scottish Book Trust go to www.scottishbooktrust.com.
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. For further information about Creative Scotland visit
Follow @creativescots and www.facebook.com/CreativeScotland
Book Week Scotland in libraries is funded by The Scottish Library and Information Council.
Stockbridge Library has been selected as one of five Scottish libraries to benefit from a new permanent artwork as part of Book Week Scotland 2014.
The purpose of the installation, which will be unveiled on the first day of Book Week Scotland on 24 November, is to make libraries more visible in their own communities and to raise awareness of them as important assets for local people to enjoy.
The artwork will be created by Glasgow-based artist Rachel Barron and will be inspired by Dear Library, a poem written by best-selling Scottish author and playwright Jackie Kay as part of Book Week Scotland’s Love Your Library! campaign. Dear Library highlights the important role that libraries can play at every stage of an individual’s life, from childhood to old age.
Rachel has been given one verse of the poem to inspire her, which is written from the perspective of an expectant mother, and it is hoped that the resulting artwork will encourage the local Stockbridge community to visit their library to begin or continue their reading journey.
Councillor Richard Lewis, Convener for Culture and Sport, said: “I am delighted that Stockbridge Library has been selected for this project in support of Book Week Scotland 2014. Naturally, Edinburgh’s public libraries champion reading all year long with a host of activities to help people develop a love of books – but we are also proud to welcome a number of cultural and community events through the doors of Edinburgh’s libraries. We hope this event will entice people to visit their local library in Stockbridge to view Rachel’s art, and let people realise how much more there is to their local library.”
Sophie Moxon, Deputy CEO of Scottish Book Trust, the organisation delivering Book Week Scotland, added: “Following the success of our Reading Murals project in 2013, we are delighted to be unveiling five original artworks by young artists in libraries across the country for Book Week Scotland 2014. Jackie Kay’s ‘Dear Library’ beautifully illustrates the knowledge, inspiration and comfort that libraries can provide for people of all ages and we hope the artworks will too.”
Commenting on the commission, artist Rachel Barron said: “I am delighted to be part of the Artwork for Libraries project, as this is my first opportunity to create a permanent artwork within a public space. I am really looking forward to meeting and engaging with the local community in a series of creative workshops inspired by my current practice and vision for the permanent artwork.”
Rachel lives and works in Glasgow and Gothenburg, Sweden. She graduated with a First Class BA (Hons) from Edinburgh College of Art’s Painting Department in 2011, and since then she has exhibited across Scotland. Her work encompasses print, sculpture and installation through exhibitions and participatory projects that engage directly with the public. Recent projects have transformed gallery spaces into live print workshops, which invite the public to participate by contributing their own artwork to the exhibition display. She aims to encourage artistic expression within people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities; providing the opportunity and environment to uncover the creative potential in everyone.
The other four artworks to be unveiled will be in Musselburgh, Saltcoats, Lennoxtown and Shetland.
And the poem …
Dear Library
1.
See when ah wiz wee
ma faverit day wis
Wednisday, library day,
when Ma an me wid go tae ma library
an I wid get to pik ma book
an get it stampd oot
efter the ither yin had been stampd in
and I hid ma very ain card
which wiz a wee magic envlope
that took me tae anither world
awthegither fu o’ caracters an creatures, auntie lopes,
big broon bears, loins and tigrs, new wurds
an anythin an aw’thin I wants tae ken aboot
the moon, stars, sea, the hale galaxy, the wide wurld
wiz at the tip o my fingers in ma locall library.
2.
Always a new book to wolf down in the dead of night,
a borrowed book to read by torchlight…
In the morning, last night’s saved page turns
to who last had this book out
and the date returned, 9 June, this year.
This same book in a stranger’s hands, half-known.
Those readers, kindred spirits, almost friends.
You are in transition; you are on the threshold.
The library is the place that gets you. Pure gold.
You are Holden, you’re Lyra, you’re White Fang,
you’re Kidnapped, you’re Skellig, you’re Refugee Boy.
You’re Callum, a nought, you’re Catch 22.
You’re Chris Guthrie. You’re Hyde. You’re Boo Radley.
It’s not Accidental. You are those books. Those books are You.
Inside your mind you’re strong. Safe.
Toss a coin: heads, reader; tails, writer.
The library is the young writer’s first home.
You read pertinent sayings, make your own.
The cool teenager is a member of the library.
3.
I go to my library to find out about the baby
growing like a story inside me: 37 weeks!
My baby is likely to be sucking his thumb, her thumb.
My tight tummy is a drum, a drum.
The child who I will one day – hopefully –
bring back to this library, ah wee one, is turning.
I’ll get her a first library card, bless,
and sit where I’m sat now, reading, to test
the books I’ll soon read to him, fingers crossed.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
The Runaway Bunny, Goodnight Moon
37 weeks: my tummy – boom, boom, beating time!
Come soon wee baby; wee baby come soon.
Come dream in your basket under the shy moon,
My hungry caterpillar, my goodnight gorilla.
My dear wee daughter, my good little fella.
4.
A book borrowed, kindly given.
A book swapped, loved, exchanged.
A book you will always hand back.
A book is a coat for your mind.
You’ve reached the age, 50 something, when you look back
on borrowed books as if they were old friends –
with nostalgia, with affection, intimately known.
The time when you read The Raj Quartet, or Han Suyin
Toni Morrison or Memo for Spring,
Things Fall Apart or Fire on the Mountain.
Poor Madame Bovary. Poor Anna Karenina.
Your life: many characters, bleak houses, long day’s journeys.
Your life of mixed fates, give and takes;
What you borrowed last month, you return today.
5.
Dear Library, you want to say, Dear Library, you have served me
well all my life. You are magnificence, munificence.
You are a book festival every day. There is no way, me an OAP,
could ever value what you’ve given me by money.
There is no measure for the enriching of the mind, friend.
Faithful and trusty, Dear Library, you are a heart stopper, a kind giver.
I treasure your lively silence; your very pleasant librarians.
They represent what a public service is truly, libertarian.
Impossible, did I say that already, to put a price on that. Again,
stop me if I am repeating myself, your staff will tell
me of a Saramago Street in a nearby town.
Browse, borrow, request, renew – lovely words to me.
A library card in your hand is your democracy.
If you were to shut, Dear Library, it would break my heart.
A library user all my life, I’d be lost without my library.
A closed library could only welcome a closed mind.
Is there a kinder place that you can find than your local library?
I want to say, and I do. I pick up my pen and write to you.
A host of events are being held in libraries across Edinburgh to celebrate Book Week Scotland 2013 (25 November – 1 December).
Now a major date in Scotland’s cultural calendar, Book Week Scotland is a national celebration of reading created to highlight Scotland’s exceptional cultural, creative and literary talent, and to remind everyone of the unique pleasure that can be gained from a good book.
Throughout the week Edinburgh Libraries will be holding author events, talks, workshops and even hosting a pop-up bookshop in Central Library in celebration of this national event.
Highlights include an event held specifically for prisoners at Saughton Prison Library, a talk by Saltire prize winner James Robertson at Blackhall Library, an event with broadcaster and journalist Lesley Riddoch and a coffee and cake morning at Oxgangs Library with Edinburgh crime writer Lin Anderson.
Councillor Richard Lewis, the city’s Culture and Sport Convener, said: “Book Week Scotland is a great opportunity for everyone to share their love of reading with others. I can think of no better place than Edinburgh, the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature, to get people excited about reading, writing and literature. The city’s libraries are hosting some fantastic events throughout the week and I hope everyone will join us to celebrate the love of a good book!”
Initiated by the Scottish Government, Book Week Scotland will be delivered on behalf of Creative Scotland by Scottish Book Trust, the leading agency for the promotion of literature, reading and writing in Scotland.
Scottish Book Trust work with a range of partners across Scotland to deliver a packed programme of free projects and events, bringing people of all ages and from all walks of life together to celebrate books and reading.
For more information about Book Week Scotland, visit
Follow @Bookweekscot on Twitter
check out #bookweekscot
or like the Book Week Scotland Facebook page.
