Viral Book-Sharing Campaign Starts Today!

99 Journals Start City-Wide Journey

TORONTO, March 22 /CNW/ - Over the next two days, each of Toronto Public Library's 99 branches will release a Books We Love journal into its neighbourhood. The journals, identifiable by their bright red covers, will roam the city, collecting Torontonians' thoughts and comments about the books they love. They will travel from hand to hand and will be left in public places where people can pick them up, participate and pass them on to others.

Each journal contains sharing instructions and 50 opportunities for Torontonians to pen a review of a book they love. One special journal contains entries by Mayor David Miller and City Librarian Jane Pyper; it will be launched from the Toronto Reference Library today.

The Library is asking that the journals be returned to any branch on or after Tuesday, April 20, 2010. All returned journals will become a permanent part of the Toronto Public Library collection. The book titles will be compiled into a giant "Books Toronto Loves" reading list, to be published online at keeptorontoreading.ca, and the journals themselves will be displayed in branches.

The 99 Journals initiative is one way the Library is asking you to share the books you love during its Keep Toronto Reading Festival this April. You can also post a video review to YouTube, or fill in special bookmarks that will be circulating during the month. Keep Toronto Reading runs from April 1 to April 30.

Keep Toronto Reading is Toronto Public Library's month-long celebration of the joy of reading, featuring literary and cultural events throughout the city, including Toronto's annual community read. Everybody is invited to read this year's selection, More, by Austin Clarke.

Toronto Public Library is the world's busiest urban public library system. Every year, more than 17.5 million people visit our 99 branches and borrow more than 31 million items. To learn more about Toronto Public Library, visit our website at torontopubliclibrary.ca or call Answerline at 416-393-7131.

For further information: Media Contact: Wendy Banks, Communications Officer, [phone], [email protected]