Book Now 2010 - the Year of Reading

Book Now 2010 - the Year of Reading started on 1 January 2010 and it will last all through the year of 2010. The objective of the Year of Reading is to remind people of the pleasures of reading that will offer both impressions and knowledge, and to encourage them, especially young adults, to read. We want to reach out to as many people as possible regardless of their reading preferences. Events of the Book Now 2010 are held all over Estonia, as well as at Estonian schools located outside Estonia and at the universities where the Estonian language is taught.

In 2010, the Book Now is held for the first time. Years of the Estonian Book have been held in 1935, 1975 and 2000, in order to celebrate anniversaries of the first published books in Estonian. In 2010, we celebrate the 475th anniversary of the first Estonian publication that has partially been preserved (the Wanradt-Koell Catechism) and the 485th anniversary of the first known publication in Estonian. This time, we emphasise just the act of reading, not books as such.

Organisation

The Book Now 2010 is organised by a task group, set up by the initiative of the Ministry of Culture, including people from all literature and reading-related institutions - the Estonian Literary Society, Estonian Writers' Union, Estonian Language Teachers' Society, Estonian Librarians' Association, Estonian Literature Information Centre, Estonian Reading Association, Estonian Institute, Estonian Children's Literature Centre, Estonian Publishers' Association, Estonian Public Broadcasting, Estonian National Library, memorial museums of Estonian writers, schools, public libraries and many other institutions, as well as private persons keen on furthering reading. During the preparatory period for the Book Now 2010, 2008-2009, several round tables were held and the organising committee discussed ideas and practical tasks. Special working groups on marketing, foreign programmes, the media, children's and adolescents' events, and community events were created for fulfilling different tasks. Organisation of the Year of Reading is coordinated by a project leader, helped by an assistant and the editor of the web page. These three people are the paid staff of the event; all others are voluntary workers with a great sense of mission.

Partners

The artist and designer for the Book Now 2010 is Heino Prunsvelt, who designed the web page, souvenirs, posters, etc. Composer Tõnu Kõrvits created the sound signature for the Year of Reading that is used in radio broadcasts and video clips. The Estonian Public Broadcasting is an important cooperation partner for Book Now 2010. After the main news block of the day, the Estonian Television daily airs a broadcast "Luuletus" ("A Poem"), where Estonian poets read their poems. Broadcasts "Terevisioon" and "Ringvaade" introduce new books; well-known cultural figures discuss reading and books in a cultural broadcast "OP!". A radio broadcast "Keda Sina viimati lugesid?" ("Whose book did you read last?") is aired at radio stations Vikerraadio and Klassikaraadio, a regular special literary broadcast at Raadio 4 is devoted to the Book Now 2010.

The newspaper Postimees is a media partner for the Book Now 2010, publishing advertisements for the events twice a month. A special edition was published with the Postimees on 29 April, introducing three largest events of the Book Now 2010 - the Baltic Book Fair, and the Tallinn and Tartu literary festivals that were held in the first week of May. Thanks to great discounts offered by several advertisement and media companies we have been able to make our events largely visible to the public. Printing houses Tallinn Raamatutrükikoda and Trükikoda Print Best made souvenirs - pocket calendars, bookmarks, and note pads for us free of charge.

Marketing

The spreading of ideas of the Book Now 2010 was largely helped by a campaign of street advertising from 22 February to 7 March where people from different spheres of life - an academician, politician, entrepreneur, sportsman, and singer - talked about the importance of reading. Posters of the same design have been distributed among all libraries and schools, kindergartens, music schools, sports clubs and other hobby activities centres. Video clips featuring longer talks by the same people will be aired at the Estonian Television starting from the end of May.

Each school and library has also received general posters of the Book Now 2010 in A1 and A4 formats. Teachers of Estonian have been given bookmarks and libraries have received pocket calendars to be given as recognition to better readers and more enthusiastic pupils. Badges were made for memorial museums of writers and other organisers of events. Book bags and notepads are given to organisers of events and used as awards at various competitions.

The Book Now 2010 has its own web page www.lugemisaasta.ee for giving information about the events, its own blog at lugemisaasta.blogspot.com, a Twitter account and a Facebook group.

The press, starting from small community publications up to large daily newspapers, magazines and web portals, publishes thematic articles on the Book Now 2010. Publishers have responded to the call for printing the logo of the Book Now 2010 into new books and giving these books to the Year of Reading committee award stock, to be given to the winners of pupils' competitions.

The idea has been adopted

While preparing for the Book Now 2001 and announcing it, the organising committee proceeded from the principle that the Year of Reading will not be only a series of events following a vertical line of command, but a thematic year and its ideas should reach as many people as possible, inspiring them to show initiative in furthering reading. This principle has been enthusiastically adopted; news about different activities and events are pouring in from all over Estonia - there is something happening almost every day. Another main principle of the Year of Reading was that its activities have to be carried out everywhere in the country as well as at the centres and communities of exile Estonians, and at the foreign universities teaching the Estonian language. Estonian cultural representatives in other countries are also emphasising the importance of the Book Now 2010 and are organising related events. For example, Ian Thomson gave a talk at a literary evening at the Estonian Embassy in London about Graham Green's connections with Tallinn; events introducing Estonian science fiction books are forthcoming in Paris and Helsinki, etc.

Lively literary scene

Numerous literary evenings have been held in towns and country towns, the most sought after authors have been Andrus Kivirähk, Leelo Tungal and Heiki Vilep. Different kinds of recitals have also been organised, for instance, staff members of the publishers Koolibri and the Estonian Publishers' Association read books out loud for the patients at Diakooniahaigla (Charity Hospital); municipality and town leaders have visited kindergartens and schools and read out aloud excerpts from their favourite books. A Great Day of Reading was held at the Kiili municipality. During five months, already nine different competitions have been held: Nukits competition, the opening event of the Book Now 2010 - a recital competition "Hansenist Tammsaareni" ("From Hansen to Tammsaare"), a competition of literary home pages "Kirjandusraal" ("Literary Computer"), a photo competition "Lugemise mõnu" ("The Pleasure of Reading") at the Lääne-Virumaa Central Library, a competition of critical book reviews written by pupils, a literary competition "Esimene samm" ("The First Step") for finding out the best debut work published in periodicals, etc. Libraries have organised all kinds of exhibitions and displays; searches for the most thrilling and the dullest book, for a favourite poem, the popular book of the month, etc. have been organised at schools and libraries. At many organisations, schools and libraries, recommended reads are weekly posted on home pages; new reading clubs have been created. Poetry Slam competitions were held at several towns in April and May. On 23-25 April, a mobile bookshop was coursing in five counties, selling new books of fiction, textbooks and reference literature and the authors met with the readers of their books during stops. On 5-9 May, literary festival Prima Vista was held in Tartu, and the Baltic Book Fair and literary festival Head Read were held in Tallinn. 120 authors from Estonia and from abroad participated in these events, including Jason Goodwin, Benjamin Zephaniah, Attila Bartis, Leonie Swann, Andrei Makine, Bei Dao, Peter Waugh and others. The Museum Night on 15 May was devoted to telling of stories and a travelling exhibition "Eesti kirjanik karikatuuris" ("Caricatures of Estonian writers") was opened; the exhibition will be displayed at different memorial museums to writers.

Forthcoming events

Conference "Lugemine. Kirjutamine. Mõtlemine: Lugemine on nauding" ("Reading. Writing. Thinking: Reading is a Pleasure") will be held on 11 June. An international scientific conference on reception theory and a seminar on the history of reading in Estonia will be held in October. These events will be organised in cooperation with Estonian universities. Many literary evenings, book exchanges and other events will be held. The Book Now 2010 will be concluded with a literary forum "Paabeli raamatukogu" ("Babylonian Library") at the Estonian National Library in December.