Escape explore discover at Hamilton City Libraries for Library Week 2009

Hamilton residents will have a chance to 'escape into another world' next week as part of Library Week 2009. A national event that has been held for more than 35 years, Library Week helps to raise the profile of libraries and celebrate the key role they play in our communities.

Held from 10-16 August, this year's Library Week theme is 'escape, explore, discover – Ki te whai ao, ki te ao mrama', and encourages residents to visit their local library and 'escape into a world of discovery and exploration that will bring about an enriching and positive experience'.

Libraries throughout the country will be holding their own initiatives to mark the week, with Hamilton City Libraries celebrating with a Braille promotion, book launch and participation in NZ's Biggest Storytime.

The Braille promotion will include a display on site in all Hamilton City Libraries and handouts available for the public, while the book launch for 'Strangers', an engrossing memoir written by Hamiltonian Wendy Baker about the four years she spent with her husband and four young children as missionaries in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, will be held at Hamilton Central Library on Tuesday, 11 August at 7pm.

NZ's Biggest Storytime, which aims to get as many libraries as possible to hold book readings of the same book at the same time, will be marked at all Hamilton City Libraries at 10.30am on Wednesday, 12 August with a reading of 'Itiiti's Gift' by Melanie Drewery – telling the story of a girl who feels clumsy and shy next to the rest of her family who are loud and tall and good at things, so sets out to find her own 'gift'.

Hamilton City Libraries Community Programmes Manager Fiona Johnson said Library Week is a great opportunity for residents to reconnect and reacquaint themselves with their local library.

"It doesn't matter if you are a regular library customer, if you haven't been to the library for some time, or if in fact you have never stepped foot inside your local library before, we invite all Hamiltonians to visit Hamilton City Libraries during Library Week 2009 to enjoy the various initiatives or to just explore the books and other resources on offer," she said.

For more information on Library Week 2009 visit www.hamiltonlibraries.co.nz