The University of Otago Centre for the Book is pleased to announce our sixth annual research symposium. In 2017, we are teaming up with Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature to offer a 3-day extravaganza engagement with books and culture.

Download the full Call for Papers.

The Centre for the Book Symposium will start on Tuesday evening, November 28th, with our usual public lecture at the Dunedin City Library. The lecture will feature Warwick Jordan, proprietor of Hard to Find Books, talking about his wide experience as a bookseller and the variety of book users that he supplies.

The symposium proper will take place on the University campus all day Wednesday, November 29th, at the College of Education and will feature a slate of presentations on the theme “Books and Users.”

The two-day UNESCO Creative Cities symposium will follow, with international and local keynote speakers on Thursday November 30th, followed on Friday by facilitated workshops at the Dunedin Athenaeum in the Octagon.

Please note: Thanks to generous support from the University of Otago Centre for the Book, the NZ National Commission for UNESCO and the Dunedin City Council, both of these events will be free to attend, with delegates responsible for providing their own lunch. Delegates are welcome to register for specific days or all three days.

As you can see from the photograph, we had a jolly gathering on Wednesday to listen to readings about the academic world, ranging from Old English verse to Coetzee’s Foe.  Thanks to all who turned out, and to the University for making it possible for us to use the Council Chamber.  The Rev. Burns probably did not approve of the recitation of Baxter’s “Ode on Mixed Flatting,” but his picture remained stolidly hanging at the end of the chamber above us, and the mix was great.

The University Book Shop has created monthly discussions by Otago University staff about current books.  The first two have been announced and both look very engaging.

First up is Law Professor Mark Henaghan, on Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari, which is about the future of humanity.  Mark will be speaking on Tuesday, 16 May at 7 pm.

Doors open at 6.30pm for refreshments, mingling or book browsing.
Spaces are limited to about 30, so register now.  It is not necessary to read the book featured. You are still welcome to come and listen and chat about the topic.

To register:
Email events@unibooks.co.nz

On Wednesday 21 June the guest of honour will be Dr Elaine Webster, who will discuss fashion and books on fashion.  Dr Webster’s book choices are A Guide to Elegance by Genevieve Antonine Dariaux and Sex and Suits: the Evolution of Modern Dress by Anne Hollander.

Register your interest for the June evening.

For those of you not in the loop, Book Night is an evening to celebrate the enjoyment of books.  Book Night is a fun nationwide reading event for people of all ages, run by Book Discussion Scheme.  Individuals can join in from home, the office, wherever…or come together to participate in an activity.  This year Book Night takes place on Tuesday, 23 May, and we are planning to gather in the University of Otago Council Chamber (formerly the University’s library, and thus a very suitable venue) to enjoy readings from our favourite representation of University life–satiric or nostalgic, ancient or modern, prose or verse.  All are welcome; just bring along your favourite passage of up to 5 minutes in length, or just bring along your favourite friend to listen with you.  We’ll conclude by 8pm at the latest, snap a picture of ourselves and post it to the Book Night website.

To see what’s happening throughout NZ, check out the Book Night website.