More information has been made public today about National Libraries Day.  This is what is known so far….

4th February 2012
Twitter: @NatLibrariesDay #NLD12 (twibbon available)
“Librarians are being encouraged to put on author talks or workshops showcasing what the library offers, while library users are urged to get all their friends and family members to join on the day, and involve themselves in locally organised activities. Everyone is being encouraged to find ways to express what libraries and librarians mean to them, whether by tweeting, making cards or producing videos or songs.” BookSeller 12/12/11

Profile to publish starry book for National Libraries Day – BookSeller.  “Alan Bennett, Julian Barnes and Stephen Fry are among the stellar contributors to The Library Book, to be published by Profile for National Libraries Day on 4th February.” … “All royalties will go to charity The Reading Agency to help their work supporting libraries.”

Full press release:

Profile to publish The Library Book in aid of The Reading Agency’s library programmes
£9.99 hardback ISBN 9781781250051

* An all-star lineup of top writers in support of the Reading Agency’s library programmes.
* Includes original pieces by Julian Barnes, Stephen Fry, Tom Holland and many more.
* Published for National Libraries Day on 4 February 2012

Alan Bennett, Julian Barnes, Stephen Fry, Lionel Shriver, Susan Hill, and China Mieville are among the contributors to The Library Book, to be published by Profile for National Libraries Day on 4 February. All royalties will be donated to the Reading Agency to help their work supporting libraries.
In The Library Book twenty of our most outstanding writers will describe libraries real or imagined, past, present, and future – why they matter and to whom. The Library Book’s contributors recognise that without libraries we would not have the writers of today and tomorrow. They include Anita Anand, Julian Barnes, Bella Bathurst, Alan Bennett, Michael Brooks, James Brown, Anne Cleeves, Stephen Fry, Seth Godin, Susan Hill, Tom Holland, Hardeep Singh Kohli, Lucy Mangan, Val McDermid, China Mieville, Caitlin Moran, Julie Myerson, Adele Parks, Bali Rai and Lionel Shriver.
From Alan Bennett’s Baffled at a Bookcase, to Lucy Mangan’s Ten Library Rules, famous writers tell us all about how libraries are used and why they’re important. Tom Holland writes about libraries in the ancient world, while Seth Godin describes what a library will look like in 2020. Lionel Shriver thinks books are the best investment, Hardeep Singh Kohli describes his first encounter with a punk and Julie Myerson remembers how her career began beside the shelves. Julian Barnes contributes a previously unseen extract from his novel England, England, and Stephen Fry asks, ‘have you heard of Oscar Wilde?’
Using memoir, history, polemic, short stories and more, The Library Book celebrates ‘that place where they lend you books for free’ and the people who work there. Editor Rebecca Gray, who volunteers in her spare time for a mobile library for homeless people, says: ‘What’s really come through in this project is how libraries liberate people, shape them, allow them to educate themselves. So many people are passionate about libraries – not just for the books, but for the space – and freedom – they provide. I’ve so enjoyed working with The Reading Agency and all these wonderful writers on this book.’
Miranda McKearney, Director of the Reading Agency says, ‘ What a wonderful way to celebrate National Libraries Day! The generosity of Profile and the contributing writers will help drive two crucial
programmes: our popular ‘six book challenge’ schemes for children and adults – meaning that, despite the cuts, libraries can continue to use them in their communities”

“Good morning. In less than an hour, campaigners from here will join others from around the country. And you will be launching the largest poltitical battle in the history of libraries. Libraries – that word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can’t be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests.

Perhaps its fate that today is the 4th of February, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom, not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution – but from annihilation of a vital service. We’re fighting for our right to borrow books, to use internet and other vital library services for free.

And should we win the day, the 4th of February will no longer be known as simply a Saturday, but as the day when the UK declared in one voice:

“We will not go quietly out of the library!

We will not vanish without a fight!

We’re going to borrow on!

Our libraries are going to survive!”

Today, we celebrate our National Libraries Day!”