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National Library News |
by Randall Ware,
Research and Information Services
On Wednesday, November 18, for the seventh consecutive year, the National Library hosted a reading by the winners of the Governor General’s Literary Awards. As usual, the event took place on the day after the prizes were awarded. However, this year, because of ongoing renovations to the Library’s auditorium, it was held in the elegant surroundings of the ballroom of the Château Laurier Hotel in downtown Ottawa, where more than 400 people gathered for the evening. Thanks to the Canada Council, the evening was broadcast live on the Internet.
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The Masters of Ceremonies, CBC Radio’s Ken Rockburn and Radio Canada’s Odette Gough, noted in their opening remarks that the event had become known for its warm and relaxed feeling. This is the first opportunity for the 14 winners to meet the reading public after the winners have been named and the audience is clearly delighted to meet them — as shown by the lineups for autographs.
"These are great years to be a reader in Canada," said National Librarian Marianne Scott. "The richness and diversity of our recently published heritage are a testament to the dedication of our writers and publishers."
She introduced Canada Council Chairman Jean-Louis Roux, who expressed his delight at being able to participate in an event that was widely known and admired in Montreal.
Each of the winners gave a short reading from his or her winning book. They then signed mounted copies of their book jackets, which had been enlarged for the occasion. These book jackets will be displayed in the Library.
For the third time, the evening’s presenting sponsor was CGI, while the associate sponsor was the Friends of the National Library. We appreciate their continued support for this annual celebration.
The Governor General’s Literary Awards Gala Reading has become the highlight of the Library’s fall literary program and one of the hottest tickets in Ottawa. As it should be — we have great writers in Canada who deserve to be honoured.