January / February 2002 Vol. 34, no. 1

The Fun of Reading: International Forum on Canadian Children’s Literature

Copyright/Source

In 2003, the National Library of Canada will celebrate its 50th anniversary. As the centrepiece of the anniversary celebrations, the Library will host The Fun of Reading: International Forum on Canadian Children’s Literature. The Forum  -  an international conference and a constellation of engaging cultural activities for young people  -  will take place in the National Capital Region, with affiliated events happening across Canada, from Thursday, June 26, through Sunday, June 29, 2003.

Its purpose is to promote Canadian children’s literature in its full cultural, linguistic and regional diversity and to strengthen the presence of this literature in Canada and on the international stage.

The Forum will bring together, for the first time, all the partners whose efforts support Canadian literature for young people: the writers, illustrators and storytellers who create it; the translators, publishers, teachers, librarians and booksellers who bring the books to children in Canada and abroad; young Canadian readers and their families; Canadian literature specialists from Canada and other countries; and literacy groups, policy-makers and the media.

Conference activities will include papers and presentations by scholars, writers, illustrators, librarians, publishers, teachers, and storytellers; roundtable discussions on reading, publishing, writing, translation and illustration; public readings and book signings; exhibitions and a trade show.

To extend the Forum into the community, the Library plans to develop partnerships with other libraries, federal cultural agencies, local arts festivals and cultural organizations, government and the private sector to offer public activities such as storytelling, plays, concerts, readings, children’s exhibitions, and films for young people.

The Library hopes that many interested people from around the world, including those attending the joint conference of the American Library Association and the Canadian Library Association in Toronto in June 2003 and visitors to Canada’s capital for the July 1 Canada Day celebrations, will join Canadians at the conference and the Forum’s public events.

On April 2, 2002, as part of International Children’s Book Day, the International Forum will be formally launched at the National Library of Canada, and a special page on the NLC Web site (www.nlc-bnc.ca/forum) will be inaugurated. From now through June 2003, this page, frequently updated and expanded, will provide information on the Forum. Interested parties can also e-mail the Forum (forum@nlc-bnc.ca) to be placed on the Forum mailing list.

The Forum is supported and advised by three committees: the Steering Committee, the Program Committee, and the Young Peoples’ Advisory Committee. The Forum Director is Céline Gendron, Canadian Literature Research Service, National Library of Canada.

For more information, contact

Dominique Groulx
Logistics and Liaison Officer
International Forum on Canadian Children’s Literature
Telephone: (613) 992-2483
Fax: (613) 943-1939
E-mail: dominique.groulx@nlc-bnc.ca

The Fun of Reading: International Forum on Canadian Children’s Literature Forum Steering Committee Members Back row, from left to right: Scott Mullin, Jocelyn Harvey, Bill Richardson, Dominique Payette, Mauril Bélanger, Catherine Mitchell, Céline Gendron; front row, from left to right: C.J. Taylor, The Honourable Landon Pearson (Chair), Roch Carrier, Dr. Sallama Shaker, Josiane Polidori. Absent: His Excellency John Ralston Saul. Copyright/Source Forum Steering Committee The Honourable Landon Pearson, Senator, Advisor on Children’s Rights to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Personal Representative of the Prime Minister of Canada to the 2001 United Nations Special Session on Children (Chair of the Steering Committee) His Excellency John Ralston Saul, C.C. Dr. Sallama Shaker, Ambassador of Egypt to Canada Mauril Bélanger, Member of Parliament for Ottawa-Vanier Catherine Mitchell, children’s book publisher and President of IBBY (International Board of Books for Young People) Canada Scott Mullin, Vice-President, Government Relations, TD Bank Financial Group Dominique Payette, host of 275-allô, Première Chaîne, Société Radio-Canada Bill Richardson, children’s writer and librarian and host of Richardson’s Roundup, CBC Radio One C.J. Taylor, artist and author Céline Gendron, Coordinator of the Canadian Literature Research Service, National Library of Canada, representing the National Librarian, Roch Carrier. Forum Program Committee Josiane Polidori, National Library of Canada (Chair of the Program Committee) Alfonsina Clemente, National Library of Canada (Secretary) Johanne Gaudet, Directrice générale, Communication-Jeunesse Charlotte Guérette, Professeur titulaire en littérature d’enfance et de jeunesse, Université Laval Kevin Major, children’s writer Catherine Mitchell, children’s book publisher and President of IBBY Canada Judith Saltman, Associate Professor of Library, Archival and Information Studies, University of British Columbia Ken Setterington, Children and Youth Advocate for Library Service, Toronto Public Library Charlotte Teeple, Executive Director of the Canadian Children’s Book Centre Gilles Tibo, children’s writer and illustrator