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Kimberly Hall | March 24, 2020

Each year, on April 23, the world celebrates World Book and Copyright Day. Observance of this day helps promote the enjoyment of books and reading around the world. World Book and Copyright Day helps recognize the scope of books as a link between not only the past and the future, but also help build a bridge between generations and across cultures.

Copyright is a legal way to give creators of original works exclusive rights to it. It is giving “the right to copy”, but also gives the copyright holder the right to be credited for their work. Copyright is represented by the symbol ©.

The date was chosen by UNESCO’s General Conference in 1995. In world literature, April 23 is a symbolic date. This is the date that several prominent authors including William Shakespeare, Miguel Cervantes and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega died. By championing books and copyright, UNESCO continues to stand for creativity, diversity and equal access to knowledge. The easiest way to celebrate World Book and Copyright day is to find a good book, kick up your feet and read.

Diversify your book collections with these great resources:

WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS

INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES SUGGESTED BOOKS FROM UNESCO

AMERICAS BOOK AWARD

PURA BELPRE

CHILDREN’S AFRICANA BOOK AWARDS

MIDDLE EAST BOOK AWARD WINNERS

NOTABLE BOOKS FOR A GLOBAL SOCIETY

PRIMARY SOURCE’S LIST OF BOOK AWARDS

A YEAR OF READING THE WORLD