The opening kicked off a packed program of events including: visiting authors and illustrators, special Storytime sessions, early literacy programs, live music concerts, family history workshops and creative writing workshops for aspiring authors.

The joys of reading will be actively promoted throughout the community by 20 “reading ambassadors” who have been given the task of inspiring a love of the written word.

Among the ambassadors are councillor Mave Richardson and local business identity Donna Carrier who attended the launch in Wingham.

Mave Richardson was pleased to be part of the event and said she believed in the project and its goals. Ambassador Donna Carrier felt honoured to have been asked to be an ambassador. “I love to read and we encourage children to read in the cafe by placing books on the table and having table and chair for them to use.”

“It’s a great initiative for public libraries to be involved in. It’s also good to see an acknowledgment of literacy issues in the population,” Margie Wallis from Taree Library said.

Nearly half the population (46 percent) struggles without literacy skills to meet the basic demands of everyday life and work. Australian libraries and library associations are behind a campaign to turn 2012 into the national year of reading linking together already great things happening around books and literacy and giving them a boost with exciting events and programs.

The “Where do you love 2 read?” competition is just one of the many exciting events to be held as part of a year-long celebration of reading.

The competition calls for submission of photos depicting people’s favourite reading spots. Entries close for the “Where do you love 2 read?” photographic competition on May 5. Photos can be submitted either through council’s website or through any branch of the library.