National Library News January 1999 Vol. 31, no. 1

"Pirate" Werner Zimmermann illustrated the 1998 Read Up On It kit. National Librarian Marianne Scott with Canadian Library Association Executive Director Vicki Whitmell. MP Mauril Bélanger.

Read Up On It Launched at Word on the Street

The National Library of Canada launched its tenth-anniversary edition of Read Up On It in five cities on September 27, 1998, in conjunction with The Word on the Street literacy and reading festivals.

As this year’s Read Up On It kit, entitled "Experience the Adventure!", hit the streets of Calgary, Halifax, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver, visitors to The Word on the Street were immersed in their own literary adventure.

In Toronto, The Word on the Street festival is a well-established tradition. In Ottawa, 1998 marked its debut. Some 25 000 people visited the youngest (and only bilingual) Word festival. A substantial number of them were on hand to hear National Librarian Marianne Scott’s assurance that "young readers will find plenty of reading adventures awaiting them in this year’s Read Up On It". Illustrator Werner Zimmermann, whose artwork is featured on the kit, was also present to sign copies of this year’s poster.