Shakespeare's First Folio Lends Drama to the Sydney ILAB Pop Up Bookfair on UNESCO World Book and Copyright Day

24 hours of ILAB Pop Up Fairs across the world on April 23, 2015! This is how the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB) will celebrate this year’s UNESCO World Book and Copyright Day. This important celebration of literacy, books and reading is held annually on April 23: Shakespeare's birthday. On this day ILAB antiquarian booksellers will be leaving their shops behind and gathering together with a small selection of their best stock to show what beautiful items they deal in.

The first in a series of over twenty Pop Up Fairs from Australia to Asia, Africa, Europe and America will start in Sydney. And what location could be more appropriate for the Sydney launch than the State Library of New South Wales, home as it is, to the only known copy in Australia of Shakespeare's First Folio Mr William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories & Tragedies?

The library will be putting on a special exhibition on World Book and Copyright Day only and alongside this rare volume the library will display their copies of Shakespeare's Second, Third and Fourth Folios. Visitors can also speak to the Library’s rare books expert, Maggie Patton, who will share fascinating stories including the near loss of 18 of Shakespeare’s original plays and how the Library came to own the First Folio.

On the same floor of the Mitchell Wing as the exhibition of the Shakespeare folios Australia's leading antiquarian booksellers will exhibit their most unusual, their best and their most interesting books and other works on paper in the beautiful newly opened ‘Gallery Room’ which is the original Mitchell Library Reading Room. As well as browsing the rare books on display members of the public and booksellers alike will be invited to symbolically "fill an empty bookcase" by the purchase of "symbolic spines". All the funds from filling the empty bookcases will be given to UNESCO to help their important work for literacy in South Sudan.

Join us! Celebrate the world of literacy with a little drama - from Shakespeare to Africa - literacy is fun, timeless and vital!

THURSDAY 23 APRIL

12 noon to 7 pm

Gallery Room, Mitchell Library Building
State Library of New South Wales
Sydney, AUSTRALIA

Free. All welcome!

LET’S PUT THE R A R E IN THE UNESCO WORLD BOOK & COPYRIGHT DAY!

>>> Learn more

AUSTRALIA - JAPAN - SOUTH AFRICA - RUSSIA - HUNGARY - AUSTRIA - GERMANY - ITALY - SPAIN - NETHERLANDS - UNITED KINGDOM - USA ...

>>> ... and anywhere else in the world where you decide to be a part of it!

SCHOOLS NEED BOOKS - Help UNESCO to realize the vision of a literate world for all!

>>> Support literacy and fill the bookcases on UNESCO World Book and Copyright Day, 23 April 2015

(Pictures: State Library of New South Wales, UNESCO, ILAB)