Communiqué de presse 2 - ANG

PRESS RELEASE
The 6thSemaine des bibliothèques publiques
Escape and conviviality
• hundreds of activities • a province-wide contest
• a pilot project • Micheline Lanctôt, spokesperson
September 30, 2004—The Bibliothèque nationale du Québec and its partners, the association
Les bibliothèques publiques du Québec, Réseau Biblio du Québec, and Ville de Montréal invite
all Quebecers to celebrate the 6th Semaine des bibliothèques publiques, to be held from Sunday
October 17 to Saturday October 23, 2004. This year, the Semaine des bibliothèques publiques
is focusing on women. The event is a presentation of Bon Matin Breads in collaboration with
L’actualité magazine.
Women have the place of honour
Numbering 800,000, women aged 25 to 55 years represent more than one third of Québec’s
public library subscribers. The library attendance rate for women is one and one-half times
higher than that of men in the same age group. They also read more books of all types. As well,
women often have a nurturing influence on children and encourage them to go to libraries. So, in
order to validate the role that women play in their families and among friends and
acquaintances, the 6th Semaine des bibliothèques publiques is focusing on them. The
programming features activities specifically designed for women, a province-wide contest, coffee
nooks amenable to conversation and a spokesperson who is greatly valued among women
clients.
A woman of stature
Ms. Micheline Lanctôt enthusiastically agreed to serve as the spokesperson for the 6th Semaine
des bibliothèques publiques. A woman of many talents, boundless energy and uncommon
perseverance—writer and translator, pianist and cellist by training, a naturally disarming actress
and a renowned cinéma d’auteur film director — Ms. Lanctôt is also an avid reader of all kinds of
writing. She confesses to a passion and love for books, which occupy a whole room in her new
home. Promoting public libraries and encouraging people to become library-goers, particularly
women, comes quite naturally to her.
Making libraries convivial
Ms. Lanctôt is not afraid of transcending received ideas or casting aside taboos. In her role as
spokesperson, she will be conveying a new way of doing things at the library. Long perceived
by the public as an austere place, the library is opening its doors to make room for conviviality.
At the beginning of October, twelve libraries will participate in a pilot project that, if successful,
will be expanded throughout all of Quebec next January. The project involves setting up coffee
nooks in libraries, with the collaboration of the event’s special partner, Van Houtte. It represents
a major shift in libraries, because subscribers and passers-by will be able to enjoy a cup of
coffee while reading a magazine or a book or surfing the Internet.
Reading is my daily bread, a two -part contest
Bon Matin Breads, L’actualité and Librairie Renaud-Bray are holding a province-wide contest
offering attractive prizes. From September 23 to October 23, adults aged 18 years and older
are invited to enter the Reading is my daily bread contest. They will have the chance to win four
gift certificates each worth $1,000 and 27 daily Coup de cœur prizes each worth $100 offered by
Renaud-Bray bookstores. For information on how to enter the contest, visit:
www.bpq.org/semaine and consult the “contest” section.
Escape with friends—activities
To celebrate the 6th Semaine des bibliothèques publiques , we wish to encourage women to visit
their public library and to bring along their friends and loved ones to take part in the many
planned activities, including: a cello recital entitled Romantisme et chansons populaires du
Québec (romanticism and popular songs of Québec); presentations by immigrant women
through music and traditional costumes; a session on women’s health called Une vision
naturelle de la santé au féminin (a natural approach to women’s health); a calligraphy exhibition
called Mots de femmes (women’s words); a sampling of nice books and good coffee among
friends; Femmes et personnages de roman (women and characters in fiction, an event for
sharing your reading with your loved ones and friends); a workshop on tales and music; Practical
tips, a workshop on carpentry for women; an exhibition by Claude Ferron entitled Hommage
au patrimoine… and much more. Find full details in the “Scheduled Activities“at
www.bpq.org/semaine.
Partners
This event has been made possible thanks to the financial support of the Bibliothèque nationale
du Québec, principal funder, and that of its partners, the association Les bibliothèques publiques
du Québec, Réseau Biblio du Québec and Ville de Montréal.
The 6th Semaine des bibliothèques publiques is presented by Bon Matin Breads in collaboration
with L’actualité magazine. Renaud-Bray bookstores, Fruits & Passion, La Parisienne,
Châtelaine, Loulou and MacLean’s magazines as well as the Corporation des bibliothécaires
professionnels du Québec (CBPQ) are among private sector supporters.
Visit the site
For full details of the 6th Semaine des bibliothèques publiques, visit www.bpq.org/semaine or
write to [email protected]. Don’t forget that your local library may be one of the many public
libraries offering Internet access. Check it out!
- 30 For information:
Christine Major – (514) 495-9497
or Claude Brisebois – (514) 495-9535
Les Majuscules
E-mail: [email protected]