Toronto Public Library announces 2013 One Book Selection

Toronto Fire Chief Jim Sales and City Librarian Jane Pyper announce the title of the Library’s 2013 One Book Community Read, in front of an antique fire engine at Yorkville Fire Station. One Book is part of the Library’s annual Keep Toronto Reading Festival.





Ray Bradbury’s classic Dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 is pick for this year’s city wide book club

TORONTO (Wednesday, Feb 27, 2013) – Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, has been chosen as Toronto Public Library’s One Book community read for 2013. The title was announced this morning at Yorkville Fire Station 312 with City Librarian Jane Pyper and Fire Chief Jim Sales.

The dystopian novel depicts life in a futuristic city where books are banned and burned. “We decided to go with a classic this year -- a book you maybe haven't read in a long time, or one you'd always been meaning to read. Fahrenheit 451 fit that bill perfectly, “said City Librarian Jane Pyper. “It was published in 1953, but is remarkably relevant today. Its depiction of a media-saturated world will resonate with anyone who reads or rereads this small but powerful book.”

The One Book community read is part of the library’s Keep Toronto Reading Festival, an annual city-wide celebration of reading held in April. The library encourages everyone to read the same book and to come out to readings, discussions and other events and activities that bring the book’s themes to life. The full event line up will be announced March 14 and posted on keeptorontoreading.ca

The partnership between the library and Toronto Fire Services is a natural fit given the book’s theme – in an ironic twist, the firemen in Bradbury’s imagined future burn books . During Keep Toronto Reading, Fire Service outreach officers will visit several library branches to share their favourite books and stories. They will also guest blog on the festival website at KeepTorontoReading.ca.

Toronto Public Library is the world's busiest urban public library system. Every year, more than 18 million people visit our branches in neighbourhoods across the city and borrow over 32 million items. To learn more about Toronto Public Library, visit our website at torontopubliclibrary.ca or call Answerline at 416-393-7131. To get the most current updates on what's happening at the library, follow us on Twitter @torontolibrary.

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Media Contact:

Tina Srebotnjak, 416-393-7098

media@torontopubliclibrary.ca