FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 12, 2005
Contact: , Austin Public Library, (512) 974-7528
Fax: (512) 974-7442

Keep Austin Reading...
Gets Austin Residents Reading, Talking, and Creating Together

Austin, Texas (April 12, 2005)—The fourth annual selection of the "Mayor's Book Club" was announced today at a press conference at the Carver Branch of the Austin Public Library. The book selected by the mayor for the "Keep Austin Reading" campaign is Writing Austin's Lives:A Community Portrait, a book that was written by the people of Austin. Writing Austin's Lives is an anthology of 127 original visions and personal experiences—stories written about life in Austin by the people who know it best, from six year olds to 90 year olds, from newcomers to Austin natives, and written in both Spanish and English. The book is now available for check-out at all library locations and for sale at the Austin History Center, 810 Guadalupe Street, all Library locations and at area bookstores or purchase a copy online.

The Library, in conjunction with the mayor's office, launches its fourth annual citywide reading campaign to develop a community experience through reading and discussion of a shared book. This year we are reading Writing Austin's Lives as an opportunity to celebrate Austin writers and citizens. In addition to the book discussion groups planned for the fall, and in partnership with the University of Texas Humanities Institute, the Austin Public Library, and the Mayor's office are planning a range of programs for all ages. One of the programs being planned is a "Mayor for a Day" essay contest. Youth under the age of 19 will be invited to write a one to two page essay about what they would do if they were Mayor for a day. One winner will be selected in various age categories. A second program being planned is "Filming Central Texas" a short film contest sponsored by News 8 Austin and KLRU. Details about both these programs and other scheduled events will be posted on the Mayor's Book Club web site at www.cityofaustin.org/library/mbc05.htm after May 1, 2005.

Partners of the citywide reading program are the City of Austin, the University of Texas Humanities Institute, the Austin Public Library Foundation and the Friends of the Austin Public Library. Sponsors of this year's Mayor's Book Club include the Austin American-Statesman, Texas Gas Service, Whitepages.com, and area bookstores. For additional information about the Mayor's Book Club call (512) 974-7400 or visit www.cityofaustin.org/library.

About the Book

Austin Chronicle's 2004 "Best of Austin" Critics' Award
"Best Local Authors" as featured in Writing Austin's Lives

In April 2003, the University of Texas Humanities Institute launched its most ambitious public humanities and community-building initiative to date, "Writing Austin's Lives." By August 31, metro Austin residents of all backgrounds had submitted nearly 800, one to three page true stories about life in Austin, in English and in Spanish. Now, a stunning book-length collection of these stories has been released to the public, published jointly by the UT Humanities Institute and the Austin History Center Association's Waterloo Press.

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