Singapore to Host the 2013
International Summit of the Book
“A Book By Any Other Name” Theme of Meeting
Elaine Ng, the chief executive officer of the National Library Board of Singapore, today invited experts and supporters of literacy worldwide to attend the 2013 International Summit of the Book, to take place in Singapore Aug. 16,2013. Her remarks came at the close of the first International Summit of the Book, held at the U.S. Library of Congress.
“We look forward to an insightful debate on the evolving concept of the book from an Asian perspective,” Ng said. “We are privileged to have professor Tommy Koh, Singapore’s ambassador-at-large and former ambassador to the United Nations, as chairman of the organizing committee.”
The theme of the Singapore conference will be “A Book By Any Other Name,” keyed to the well-known phrase about a rose from Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.”
Information on the conference, including registration information, can be found at the website blogs.nlb.gov.sg/booksummit2013/.
While the printed page is one of the most cherished images associated with the book, digital technology has inspired new compositions of the book and transformed the way stories are created and shared, Ng said.
“The shift from page to pixel is merely one of the issues to be discussed during the summit,” she said. “Other questions to be explored include: ‘How will stories be told?’ ‘How will the form of the book evolve?’ and ‘How will reading, writing and publishing change?’”
The Singapore summit will bring together leaders in academia, libraries, culture and technology. By engaging a diverse range of views beyond the traditional book world, its organizers hope to spark meaningful, inspiring and perhaps surprising discussions among participants.
Ng and Koh received the crystal book that represents the “passed torch” for the International Summit of the Book at a ceremony today closing the first such summit, held at the U.S. Library of Congress. There, some three dozen experts on literacy, rare books, the history of books and the future of the book made and heard presentations about the value of literature and the unique role the book has played in the dissemination of human knowledge and culture.
The National Library Board of Singapore oversees the National Library, the Public Libraries and the National Archives. The board’s mission is to provide a trusted, accessible and globally connected library and information service through the National Library and a comprehensive network of public libraries. Also under its management are 31 libraries belonging to government agencies, schools and institutions. Through its innovative use of technology and collaboration with strategic partners, NLB ensures that library users have access to a rich array of information services and resources that are convenient, accessible and relevant. More information is available at www.nlb.gov.sg
The Library of Congress, the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution, is the world’s pre-eminent reservoir of knowledge, providing unparalleled collections and integrated resources to Congress and the American people. Many of the Library’s rich resources can be accessed through its website at www.loc.gov.