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The Library Celebrates City of Literature Announcement
22 August 2008
The Library is celebrating the United Nation's announcement this week that Melbourne has been named the world's second City of Literature.
Melbourne joins cities including Edinburgh, Berlin, Montreal and Bologna as a member of UNESCO's Creative Cities Network, which recognises achievement in creative endeavours such as music, literature and design.
CEO and State Librarian Anne-Marie Schwirtlich said, 'The Library is delighted with UNESCO's decision to name Melbourne as a City of Literature. Melbourne's engagement with literature - our writers, publishers, libraries, booksellers and readers, as well as our vibrant literary events all make Melbourne a literary focal point and UNESCO's recognition reflects this'.
'The decision also acknowledges the Library's longstanding place in Melbourne's literary history and, together with Victoria's public libraries, its role as one of the elements that contributed to the UNESCO recognition.'
The Library, over its 150-year history, has supported Melbourne's literary and cultural life in many ways. It currently administers the Premier's Literary Awards; auspices the Centre for Youth Literature; provides reader development programs such as The Summer Read and the Bedside Books Club; collects a diverse range of publications and makes them available to the public; offers Fellowships to writers, researchers, scholars, artists and musicians; and showcases the Library's literary treasures through exhibitions such as Mirror of the World: Books and Ideas and the accompanying Mirror of the World website.
The State Library is also the site for the Victorian Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas. The new centre - due to open in late 2009 - will be a hub for writing and literature-based activities and organisations, including the Victorian Writers' Centre, Australian Poetry Centre, Express Media, Emerging Writers' Centre and Melbourne Writers Festival.
CEO and State Librarian Anne-Marie Schwirtlich said, 'As the future home of the Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas, we look forward to further enhancing the vibrant literary culture that exists in Melbourne.'
Find out more about UNESCO's Cities of Literature >
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