Major Changes likely for New Zealand Book Month 2014

New Zealand Book Month is to move from March to August 2014 to allow for greater co-ordination with other book industry events in the middle of the year.

This was announced by the new Chairman of Book Month Charitable Trust, Sir Bob Harvey.

“We need to build on the successful book months of previous years under the leadership of the former chair Mary Robbins.  In particular we are looking to strengthen the whole experience of promoting books and reading in New Zealand and want to develop a very strong programme that will link with the likes of the New Zealand Post Book Awards and other book related events.

“There is considerable planning to be done with a final programme to be agreed early in March.  Major issues concern funding, especially now that Creative New Zealand has turned down the application for funding author visits as part of the community events programme.  Given that we are moving Book Month from March to August, we will have time to reapply to CNZ for support for the authors visits which are a very popular feature of the programme,” said Sir Bob.

The $5 voucher scheme that has been a feature of Book Month for the last three years is to be dropped in favour of a raft of new features seeking to promote books and reading to everyone from school children and occasional readers to book clubs and avid readers.

“There are many organisations that are engaged in the development of reading including the promotion of New Zealand books and authors, both in terms of reading for pleasure and reading as a means of discovery and learning.  During New Zealand Book Month 2014 we are keen to work with a range of other organisations staging events in bookshops, libraries and community venues nationwide that, together, will focus the whole country on the value of books and reading,” said Sir Bob.