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Washington DC 20540-1610
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February 25, 1999
Press Contact: Yvonne French (202) 707-9191
Public Contact: Center for the Book (202) 707-5221

Young People's Poetry Week To Be Launched April 7 at the Library of Congress

"Young People's Poetry Week," a new celebration that will be part of National Poetry Month each April, will be launched at 5 p.m. April 7 during a program in the Library's Coolidge Auditorium in the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E. National Poetry Month was begun by the Academy of American Poets in 1996.

U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky, poets Nikki Grimes and Judith Viorst, and young poets from the District Lines Poetry Project will participate. The event is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by the Children's Book Council Inc., the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, and the Library's Poetry and Literature Center, in cooperation with the District Lines Poetry Project of the Federation of Friends of the District of Columbia Public Library.

The one-hour celebration of poetry in the lives of children will precede the National Poetry Month event "Washingtonians Read Favorite Poems," which will take place in the Coolidge Auditorium at 6:45 p.m. the same evening. Mr. Pinsky will participate in both programs.

The Children's Book Council, a reading promotion partner of the Library's Center for the Book, is a nonprofit association of publishers that encourages the reading and enjoyment of children's books. The Center for the Book was established in 1977 to stimulate public interest in books, reading, and libraries. For more information about its program visit the center's Web site at http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/.

Interpreting services (American Sign Language, Contact Signing, Oral and/or Tactile) will be provided if requested five business days in advance of the event. Call (202) 707-6362 TTY and voice to make a specific request. For other ADA accommodations, contact the Disability Employment office at (202) 707-9948 TTY and (202) 707-7544 voice.

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PR 99-031
2/25/99
ISSN 0731-3527